Of Curses and Cures
by SiriuslyPadfoot'sGal
Summary: AU: Edward is finally prepared to begin his medical career—a career ninety-years and four medical degrees in the making. He is, however, anything but prepared for the change that comes with his first patient... Bella Swan.FORMERLY TITLED BEST MEDICINE.
1. Chapter 1

Summary: Edward is finally prepared to begin his medical career—a career ninety-years and four medical degrees in the making

Summary: Edward is finally prepared to begin his medical career—a career ninety-years and four medical degrees in the making. But what he's not prepared for is his first ever patient at Seattle Presbyterian Hospital.

Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight, if I did, it would be a vampire tradition to never wear clothes… just saying.

**The Best Medicine**

_Chapter One_

"_The doctor is often more to be feared than the disease."_ French Proverb

November 9th, 2008

He is nervous. In fact, he hasn't been this nervous since his first time back among humans. The situation is after all, remarkably similar. He is finally beginning his medial career—a career ninety-years and four medical degrees in the making.

Today marks his first day as an intern at Seattle Presbyterian Hospital. He realizes that he might spend the rest of his days as a medical intern, after all the is only so long he could stay in one place before people would begin to stop and say, "You know, he still looks like he did on his first day." But he also knows that for most people, four years of high school is torture enough, let alone more than forty. So despite spending the rest of his days at the bottom of the medical totem pole, he is relieved at the change.

As he prepares to leave his house in Forks, Carlisle claps a hand on his shoulder and Esme hugs him warmly. The rest of his siblings aren't quite so sentimental considering it will take little more than ten minutes to return here after his shift ends—one of the benefits of being able to break the sound barrier by running. Alice, his _almost_ all-seeing sister, acts peculiar, well, more peculiar than normal. Her thoughts are meticulously reviewing the Fall lines of her favorite designer collections, right down to the color of the thread. Shrugging it off, he gives her a hug, and she holds him a moment longer than necessary. The worry and encouragement in her eyes is downright motherly, and he regrets again the childless life to which their curse has doomed them.

_You'll do wonderfully. Everything will be okay, we have so much faith in you. _

Her thoughts break through the rest, and he smiles and says his goodbyes, before setting off towards Seattle at a brisk run. He arrives in about eleven minutes—his breathing even and normal and his brow sweat-free.

He ignores the stares that follow him to the reception desk, and he tries not to encourage the already swooning girl sitting there. Her name tag read Jessica, and her thoughts read shallow and almost non-existent. As he enters the locker room, he barely notices the awed stares and nearly imperceptible way that people instinctually back away. He hears several heartbeats speed up and stutter as he shrugs off his sweater and begins to dress in his scrubs. He can tell just by listening that there are fifteen more people in the room, all clumped together in small groups of three or four. Judging by smells, there were eight females, six males, and one that could possibly go either way.

After being assigned a resident, Dr. Clayton, he and the others in his group follow him to the Emergency Clinic. It is interesting hearing the different paths each mind takes in response to the new location. A rusty, salty smell fills his nostrils and he is proud at how remarkably easy it is to resist. A blonde boy in the group, Mike Newton, smiles at the sight of blood and pumps his fist in excitement. Dr. Clayton forces himself not to roll his eyes for the benefit of the group, but he can't hide his thoughts of irritation from Edward. The day begins slowly with the listing of rules, review of procedures, and an overview of paperwork. At first, Edward becomes easily frustrated at the child-like treatment the interns receive, as though they are incompetent. But then he'll here someone think something stupid, incorrect, and dangerous, and he changes his mind.

After four medical degrees, there isn't a question asked that Edward can't answer. He lets about half slip by him, trying not to snicker at many of the ridiculously wrong answers thought by the rest of the group, and the much more numerous thoughts of 'Please don't call on me, please!'

Soon, however, Dr. Clayton realizes Edward to be the most knowledgeable in the group and doesn't allow him to dodge anymore questions. He also offers Edward the first direct interaction with a patient. He leaves the group in their place, scouring the pit for a suitable case. Edward hears him laugh on the other side of the room as he steps behind a curtain.

"Again, Ms. Swan?"

He shuffles around the room, checking her chart and a few other things before say, "I believe I have an appropriate punishment for you. After all, on your last visit, you did promise me you'd stay safe, and it's been what? Eight days?"

She groans, but doesn't deny it. "Okay. I guess I deserve it, but really, I was being careful!" Her voice is soft and smooth.

"I'll be using you as a demonstration for my interns today."

"What?" She cries, and her heart best so furiously that Edward almost believes she is right next to him, rather than across a long and crowded room.

"No, Dr. Clayton, please. You know how I hate attention."

He laughs and replies, "And you know how I hate an injured Bella."

There is more groaning and shuffling of feet before Dr. Clayton appears outside the curtain, beckoning the group over. He pulls back the curtain revealing a petite girl with long, straight brown hair, tucked behind her ears. Her cheeks are painted red, and her small delicate hand covers her eyes in embarrassment. Edward waits at the back of the group, studying her curiously.

"This is Isabella Swan." Dr. Clayton introduces. "If you manage to stick around, you'll probably end up seeing quite a lot of her."

She looks up shyly and Edward hears Mike thinking that he'd _love_ to see a lot more of her. Edward rolls his eyes, but can't disagree. She is rather pretty, with large brown eyes and those enticing pink cheeks. He shakes his head, forcing himself to think of things besides blood. He'd resisted plenty today, and this is no different. He steps backward, taking in the familiar, easy to resist, scents of the interns in his group. His eyes scan her form, from her carelessly dangling feet to the bruised wrist cradled carefully in her lap.

"Dr. Cullen?" The resident calls.

Nodding, Edward steps towards to girl, but he only makes it one step past the group before he freezes. With the scents of his group behind him, he is exposed for the first time to that deliciously floral and deliciously _dangerous_ scent. His body becomes rigid and his eyes darken, before he closes them tightly. As soon as his eyes close, his mind fills with images… terrible images, and he wrenches his eyelids back. Her wide eyes meet his, and she blushes further. Her blood rushes to the top of her skin, rushes to him, calling, singing to the creature inside of him.

"Anytime now, Dr. Cullen." His resident intones.

Edward walks forward cautiously, his movements stiff, takes her chart, and then steps away again.

"Isabella Swan?" He asks, his voice strained, but inviting nonetheless.

"Bella." She whispers in correction. Her heartbeat flies, and he forces himself to scan her chart.

Surprise coloring his features, he asks, "This is your eleventh visit in the last three months?"

She blushes again, unknowingly sending the monster in him reeling. He envisions himself attacking, sucking her dry, or whisking her away for an x-ray, and taking his sweet time with her _sweet_ blood.

He turns his thoughts to Carlisle and Esme, and their confident assurances this morning. He then remembers Alice's curious behavior and realizes that she's seen this all. Knowing that she would have said something, if this were to turn out badly, he is finally able to push the horrifying images away.

"And how did you injure your wrist, Ms. Swan?" he asks.

She thinks for a moment, her expression hesitant. He waits for the entirely truthful explanation to appear in her mind, but it never comes.

She answers, "I-I took the stairs a bit too quickly. Well, actually, it was rather slowly, but any type of speed on stairs is too fast for me."

Dr. Clayton laughs, and it gives Edward time to search for her mind. At his intense gaze, she panics and lowers her eyes.

Dr. Clayton clears his throat, gesturing Edward forward. Slowly, unwillingly, he approaches, his entire body rigid, desperately fighting to maintain control.

"Have you taken anything for the pain?" He asks, his position in dangerous proximity to her own. She nods and the second he had to wait for her unknown answer was like torture.

"Tylenol." She provides.

He points to her wrist, "May I?" He asks, his musical voice sounding rougher than ever before. She looks into his eyes, startled by their darkness. She stares for a moment, and for a split second, it appears as though she leans toward him ever so slightly, but it surprises him nonetheless. Most humans naturally shy away, but this mysterious girl with the most intoxicating spell only moves closer. Finally, she seems to remember her question and offers up her wrist, her eyes focused decisively on the floor.

He steels his control, knowing that she'll naturally jump at the temperature of his skin. But he is not prepared for the sudden electrical charge that surges through them at their momentary contact. He pulls away sharply, hearing the questioning thoughts of both Dr. Clayton and the rest of the group.

Trying to distract the group, and himself from the thought of her warm soft skin, he asks, "The pain. What would you say it is on a scale from one to ten? Ten being the highest."

She thinks again, and he nearly growls in frustration at his inability to hear her thoughts. Who is this girl? _What_ is she? Could she be human—with the sweetest blood he'd ever known and thoughts that remained a mystery even to him?

"About a five." She answers.

A mystery—that's exactly what she is.

"And what course of action would you recommend, Dr. Cullen?"

Edwards shakes his head to clear his thoughts and answers, "There's clearly an injury, as indicated by the extreme bruising. First, an x-ray to determine whether it is a break or fracture, and some treatment for the pain, until we can determine a further course of action."

"Very good, Cullen." Dr. Clayton replies, "Would you like to get started on that?"

Edward blanches and replies immediately, "I don't mind giving someone else a chance."

Edward doesn't need to hear his thoughts to know that Dr. Clayton is disappointed. He half-heartedly waves Mike Newton forward, whose thoughts of Bella assault Edward in an excited rush.

"Dr. Newton, take Ms. Swan to x-ray, please. I'll see you soon Bella."

Mike replies, "My pleasure," and then they're gone.

Edward takes deep breath, realizing that he'd resisted the impulse from the first moment he'd smelled her blood.

Dr. Clayton begins to assign the interns tasks, and they all trickle away, until only Edward remains.

"Cullen." His resident says, "You've got a great deal of knowledge about medicine, but you've got a ways to go in learning this business. No one is going to hand you anything, so you take everything you can get. Refuse another opportunity, and I'll question how much you want to stay in this program."

Edward curses mentally. He'd made a royal mess of everything already.

"I'm sorry, sir." His voice the very tune of regret, "I don't know what I was thinking."

Or more correctly, he didn't know what _she_ was thinking.

Dr. Clayton nods, regarding him carefully for a moment. He hand him a chart with instructions to check up on a patient. Before he walks away, he replies with a grin.

"She's quite pretty, isn't she? Ms. Swan, I mean."

He is gone before Edward can agree or disagree.

'Pretty.' Edward thinks. 'Yes, she's pretty. She's beautiful and shy and intoxicating and human.' He sniffs, taking in the remnants of her presence, before muttering so low, that only he can hear.

"Yes, very _human_."

_A/N: Well, there's the first chapter. Do you like it? Should I continue? I'm sorry if any of the medical stuff is wrong, I'm sort of clueless in that department. If there are any medically inclined folks out there who would like to give me some pointers, I'd much appreciate it!_

_I'm not entirely sold on the title, but I needed a title in order to post it, so if anyone has any suggestions, I'm all ears. _

_Review if you want to read more!_


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Thank you for the wonderful response last chapter! Things you need to know in this chapter:

I am not Stephenie Meyer… so don't sue me.

I am not a doctor, have no plans to be a doctor, and know nothing about Doctors other than what I see on T.V. and learn from Wikipedia (So don't expect the Medical stuff to be completely right… or even partially right for that matter).

And now… on to the chapter!

**Best Medicine **(still hate this title. To Do List: Find a New Title)

**Chapter Two**

_November 16__th__, 2008_

It's been exactly one week since Edward started at Seattle Presbyterian Hospital—one week since he first set eyes on Isabella Swan and one week since he'd left his family in Forks with promises to return home that same day, promises he'd broken.

He can't bring himself to go home. He is ashamed of his weakness, of his inability to combat the attraction she provides. He isn't sure whether he wants to run from her or run to her. He finds that he can't even trust himself where she is concerned. He hates that he nearly destroyed everything his family had worked for because of the addicting floral scent of that vixen sent to haunt him. He holes himself up in a hotel room a few blocks from the hospital. He leaves only to work, where his eyes constantly scan the room for any sign of her, and to hunt, which he does twice as much as he actually needs to. He knows he needs to make a decision soon—either return to forks or find a more permanent residence here in Seattle.

Carlisle has called once, and Alice nearly a dozen. He worries each time that this time she's calling to tell him that today is the day he'll break, the day he'll disgrace his family. She never asks him to come home, only encourages him to do what needs to be done. If only he knew what that was. She says everything will turn out okay in the end. She says she _knows_ it will.

And then he wonders what it means to turn out 'okay.'

Okay, as in he'll never see Bella again?

A low growl instinctually rumbles in his chest and he suppresses it.

Okay, as in she'll come around, but he'll stay away from her?

Or… He feels as though his long dormant heart might stutter a beat or two at his next thought…

Okay, as in he'll see her constantly, but manage to resist regardless?

He pushes the thought away quickly. It's foolish and unwise and _dangerous_ for both of them.

Work at the hospital is already familiar, as though he's been doing it for decades rather than days. It's mainly paperwork, observing more experienced doctors, answering questions, manning the emergency room. He's taken to not breathing when he's in that room. Emergency room means frequent appearances of blood, but that's not really the reason, he can resist that surprisingly easily. He doesn't breathe in case _she_ returns.

Edward quickly rises to the top of the pack of interns. Dr. Clayton gives him more responsibilities than the rest, even allowing him to diagnosing a patient or two, or more specifically, ten. And with the help of his uncanny vampiric hearing and superior sense of smell, diagnostics is actually rather easy and unexciting, except for when his inhuman senses manage to catch something in one moment that could have taken days or something that might possibly have not been caught at all. Like the subtle, almost unnoticeable way a person's heartbeat can be off, dangerously irregular.

Angela Webber came to the Emergency room, complaining of nothing more serious than swollen ankles, breathlessness, and extreme fatigue. She would have been in, and out, and on her way, if Edward Cullen had not been her doctor.

When Edward insists on administering an echocardiogram, Dr. Clayton is confused. The tests, however, return with staggering results. She did indeed have an irregular heartbeat, so subtle that it was missed in her minor check-ups. The exam showed that the left ventricle had a rather spongy appearance, and never fully developed in Ms. Webber as a child.

Edward diagnoses her with Noncompaction Cardiomyopathy, a possibly rare type of Cardiomyopathy that is often misdiagnosed, and was only recently added to the official list of such types of diseases by the World Health Organization.

Dr. Clayton is thrilled, certain that this correct diagnosis is going to bring attention to the hospital, since there have been only fifty or so confirmed diagnosis's since 1990. The disease is dangerous, and she might possibly need a heart transplant, but due to Edward's special skills, they've caught it with plenty of time to spare.

The first hint of a smile in a week begins to tug at the sides of Edward's mouth, that is, until Angela's closest friend shows up for support.

"Angela!" Bella cries, "Ben just called, and he should be here any moment."

Angela smiles, some of the worry ebbing from her features, but Edward is tense. He doesn't breathe as his eyes fixate on his own personal mystery. She speaks with Angela quietly, her stance almost motherly as she listens to Angela repeat the diagnosis. Her eyes are wide, caring, and focused on her friend.

Even without breathing, her scent envelops him, tickling his senses to where he can almost taste her on his tongue.

"I just can't believe it," Bella sighs. "It seemed like nothing, maybe Mono or something like that."

Angela nods, "I'm lucky really. I'm told it was a rather spectacular catch by Dr. Cullen."

It is Bella's turn to lock up, her eyes immediately scanning the room for him. His copper hair is a tousled as when she first met him, with the same perfectly smooth lines of his face. Her body recognizes him as if she's known him her entire life, and she wonders how she didn't notice him until now.

It takes her a moment to pull away from her study of his face, in particular those bizarrely beautiful topaz eyes.

"Thank you." She answers, "I-I'm glad Angela has you as a doctor."

Edward only nods, not trusting himself to speak to the unique girl who'd been haunting his thoughts all week.

She turns back to her friend, but his eyes stay on her. She asks about the next course of action, and then tries to concentrate as Angela answers, but her ears naturally strain to hear his every movement. And she can't stop her eyes from flicking to his, blushing deeply when their eyes meet, before dropping her head.

She knows she'll need to respond to Angela soon, but she hasn't the slightest clue of what Angela is saying. She is saved by the entrance of Ben Cheney, breathing heaveily, as though he'd run the whole way.

Not wanting to intrude on their private reunion, she turns her head away, only to see his eyes again locked intently on hers, his expression frustrated. And he can't bring himself to look away, insisting that if he waits one more second, her mind might open up to him. It isn't until she unknowingly begins stepping towards him that his gaze breaks off, and studies Angela's charts intensely.

Her step falters, and she nearly stumbles, unsure as to why her body began to move toward him without her mind's permission.

She spends the next few minutes studying the tiled floors, and Edward is relieved when Dr. Clayton gestures for them to continue their rounds.

The day goes by slowly, perhaps because he can smell her even from down the hall, ad hear her heartbeat from the floor above. It isn't until late at night, when his shift finally comes to an end that the sound of her heartbeat becomes fainter. He exits the hospital, catches sight of her stepping up into an old rusty pick-up truck, and listens as she slowly slips out of range.

He wonders when he'll see her again, wondering if it will be another full week, part of him hoping for soon, and another wisely hoping for never.

_November 17__th__, 2008_

He knows she is coming before she even sets foot in the building. He easily recognizes the roar of her truck and the steady palpitations of her heart as she arrives in the parking lot. He is standing at the reception desk as she enters, decidedly not listening to Jessica prattle on about this and that.

Immediately, like a magnet, their eyes connect. She blushes a violent red. His fists clench. And he walks away as fast as humanly possible, but still entirely too slow for his liking. And today seems even longer.

_November 18__th__, 2008_

He considers giving it all up, running away, hiding from his weakness—whatever you want to call it. He nearly does it. It's been three days of her constant presence. She leave a few times, presumably for other commitments, but always returns, sometimes carrying flowers or baked goods. The scents mix with her own, somehow making her even more impossibly irresistible.

But resist he does.

It is while contemplating on an extended stay in Alaska that she finds him, clearing her throat softly.

Her eyes are hard, questions, and slightly unfriendly. If her chocolate eyes could speak, they would be saying, 'What did I ever do to you?'

He knows he's been incredibly rude, and should probably smile or make an attempt at civility, but he can't.

"I brought something for you, for all you've done for Angela." She holds out a plate of freshly-made brownies. Her voice is soft and the gesture warm, but her expression remains cold. But at the mention of Angela's name, the sincere gratitude is evident in her eyes.

He wishes for the thousandth time that he was not banned from her thoughts. He has to pull his eyes away from the smooth skin of her neck, and the lovely way her flushed skin compliments her deep blue blouse.

"Thank you, Ms. Swan." He replies, taking the gift. He forgets what her contact does to him, and their fingers brush accidentally. He manages to hold in his gasp, but she doesn't. Her eyes are wide, painted with confusion.

"Please, call me Bella." She whispers finally, as the shock slowly fades from her face.

He nods, "Thank you, Bella." He holds up the plate, "For these."

"You're welcome, Dr. Cullen."

"Edward, please."

She smiles. "Then you're very welcome, Edward Cullen."

If his heart still worked, he is sure it would have leapt from his chest at the sound of his name upon her lips. He grins crookedly, and he hears her heartbeat stutter. She blushes shyly, and it's nearly too much for him. He nods politely and takes his leave, before he does something he'll regret. He looks back at her once, frustration evident on her face, and mumbles under his breath, "It's for the best."

If only he could wholly believe it.

He's not sure why he does it, but after spending half of his lunch break watching the brownies, oscillating between curious staring and annoyed glares, he grabs them quickly, shuts his locker, and takes the well-travelled path to Angela Webber's room.

When he enters, Bella jumps and drops the book in her hand. He's there in a moment, retrieving it for her, and shooting a quick glance at the work pages and weathered binding of _Wuthering Heights._

"Thanks." She mumbles quietly before retreating to a chair in the corner of the room. Angela stares between the two of them curiously before locking eyes with her boyfriend Ben.

"Bella made me some wonderful brownies," He begins, his voice rich and smooth, "And I can't possibly finish them all myself. I was wondering if perhaps you three might want to join me for a sweet and deliciously unhealthy lunch. You'll be doing me a favor really. It's been days since I've had a conversation that doesn't revolve around medical terms."

Angela and Ben seem paralyzed by the force of his eyes, but nod their heads mechanically. Bella looks terrified and unwilling to leave her sanctuary in the corner of the room. He removes the plastic wrap from the plate, venturing towards Bella.

"I think the first should go to the marvelous cook, although I must confess to sneaking one before I came." Or more truthfully, another intern had taken one while he'd been preoccupied with his thoughts.

She shakes her head forcefully, "Nonsense." She seems almost angry, " I couldn't possibly."

"Really, Ms. Swan, I insist." He replies before leaning towards her, his golden eyes closer to hers than ever before, "Please Bella."

Her hand reaches forward, fumbling slightly before grabbing a brownie off the top. It isn't until he steps away that she realizes that she had stopped breathing. He approaches Angela and Ben as she struggles to regain her breath.

"This is very generous of you, Dr. Cullen." Angela says as she takes her first bite.

"Call me Edward, please. And don't worry about it. I know firsthand how awful hospital food can be, you needed a break." In truth, he knew nothing of hospital food, only that it repulsed him slightly more than normal human food.

"Bella's a great cook isn't she?"

Edward agrees heartily before stealthily slipping some of his brownie into his pocket.

It doesn't take long before the entire plate disappears, and Edward manages to get away with taking only one actual bite, which he did only because Bella was staring at him curiously, making him worry about just how observant she was.

He thanks them all for the company before saying his goodbyes.

"I won't be here tomorrow, I'm afraid. They decided I might need at least one day off." He chuckles playfully.

Bella makes a peculiar expression, and the longing to hear her thoughts roars up stronger than ever. He can't tell if she's relieved for disappointed, and he finds himself both anxious and afraid to know the truth.

That night is the first night Edward Cullen follows Bella Swan home to the small duplex she shares with Angela.

And that night is the first time he hears the sleepy whisper of his name escape from her lips.

**A/N: Well, there's chapter two. I hope most of the Medical stuff wasn't awful… I blame Wikipedia if it was. I hope you all enjoyed it! **

**I'm still accepting suggestions for a new title! And I'm pretty open about where this fic is going, so if anyone has any requests, I'd certainly be willing to hear them! **

**Reviews release endorphins, endorphins make me happy, happy people update faster!**


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: Hello all! Thank you so much for your reviews last chapter. I was a little disappointed because I only received half as many for the second chapter as I did for the first, but I got over that quickly. I'm too in love with writing Edward to be too upset. Sorry if there are any grammatical errors in this, I didn't have time to do a good once-over. Still contemplating some titles… Don't judge, but I'm actually considering "Bad Medicine" as inspired by the Bon Jovi song. Also looking at… "Of Curses and Cures." Any other suggestions?

Best Medicine

Chapter Three

_November 23__rd__, 2008_

A rocking chair, old and weathered, sits in the corner of her room. It is there he makes his perch each night, appearing only after her breathing evens out in sleep, and disappearing just as silently in the early hours of the morning before she wakes.

It makes him feel sick, entirely fitting of the word, "Monster." But he can't stop. It's actually much easier this way. By seeing her every night, he finds himself able to stay away from her during her daytime visits to the hospital. It is one thing for him to obsess over her daily without her knowledge, but it would be entirely different if he were to inject himself into her life, her waking hours at least. Then there is her rather peculiar behavior to consider, also; her habit of moving closer to the very thing she should run from, which is made all the worse by his inability to read her mind, to know when it's coming.

He is careful to check-in on Angela only when Bella is absent. He is both relieved and pained to learn that Angela is returning home today, meaning the end of Bella's visits. He will pass from her mind, soon to be forgotten altogether. He knows that he is unable to forget, his interest having become interweaved with obsession. Perhaps with time, this addiction will fade, but for now he sits and waits, memorizing the steady beat of her heart.

_November 29__th__, 2008_

He doesn't go to her room tonight. He forces himself to stay away, refusing to spend his time lurking wickedly in her room, like a monster under her bed, or more correctly, in her rocking chair.

And when he arrives at work the next morning, his skin seems even more lifeless, the spots under his eyes a more unforgiving black, and his soul feels just as absent as the beat of his heart.

_December 1st, 2008_

It's his first day off in weeks, and he doesn't even think as he parks his Volvo, and his feet carry him down the familiar path to her small duplex. He stands underneath the shadow of a tree to avoid the rain, debating on whether to just watch or to actually summon the courage to knock on the door. He is saved from the agony of determining an answer, when she stumbles out of the house towards her dilapidated truck. He runs to the end of the street where his vehicle is parked, and follows several blocks behind her. He knows he should end this ridiculous pattern of his, but his body pulses with a strange anxiety, an abnormal pull towards her. He wants nothing more than to keep her safe from everything, including himself. And it's the closest thing he's felt to a purpose in nearly ninety years.

He observes her as she runs errands and shops for groceries, noting the way she scowls darkly each time she has to exit out into the rain. She returns to her home only to deposit the fruits of her shopping, and then she's off again. He follows her, watching as her light brown hair becomes darker from moisture, and sees her heading to the pier and onto one of the smaller ferry boats. The boat is practically empty, especially the deck. The few people on board are seated inside, away from the rain. He expects her to follow, but she doesn't.

He watches from a level above as she leans on the railing, her pale skin caressed by the cold Pacific breeze. A peculiar expression crosses her face and before he can classify it, she steps up on the railing and swings one leg onto the other side. He glances around, checking for onlookers, before speeding down the stairs at vampire speed. He rounds the corner as she swings her other leg over, perched precariously on the unsteady railing. The rain assaults her back and her long brown hair is now soaked.

He watches her, poised to run if she decides to jump. But she doesn't. She only sits there, quiet and still, swayed only by the wind. He sighs in relief. Almost as though she heard, her head whips around quickly. She gasps when she sees him, wobbling slightly. He steps forward, alarmed, but she steadies herself. He is wondering whether or not he should go to her when the boat hits a wave and rocks forcefully.

Her eyes widen and her feet slip. He watches on in horror as she tips forward. He blinks and then is gone in a flash, his fingers missing her and barely brushing the ends of her hair as she falls. She doesn't scream as she tumbles downward, but her mouth stays open in shock. He hears the splash and vaults over the railing, diving headfirst into the black, tumultuous waters.

It's hard to see in the water, even for him, so he listens for her heartbeat, hearing it faintly further below to his right. He speeds in that direction, waves rippling in his wake. Her heartbeat is incredibly faint when he reaches her, and shock runs through him when his hand closes around her wrist, not because of the contact, but because of her surprisingly cold skin.

Unaffected by the cold, he'd forgotten that it was December, and the water would be freezing. He pulls her to his chest, propelling them upwards with as much force as possible. Her eyes are closes, her face pale, and her heartbeat stuttering poorly when he breaks the surface.

He considers trying to get back on the ferry, but decides it will be better to get her on land. He covers nearly a mile in under a minute, immediately laying her flat on the shore.

There is a twisting pain in his chest when he realizes she isn't breathing. He opens her mouth and tips her head backward, thankful that he'd been subjected to CPR lessons in high school health classes for years now.

He leans down slowly, anxious and worried to touch his lips to hers, but knowing that other help is too far away. If he gets too close, can he still stay in control?

He touches her cheek, just barely warmer than his own icy skin, and it spurs him into action. Ignoring the thrilling shock of her touch, he presses his mouth to hers, blowing deeply.

He puts his hands together, laying them on her sternum, his long fingertips stretching nearly the entire expanse of her chest. He tries not to focus on what is underneath his fingers, instead concentrating on pushing the heel of his hand down lightly. He pushes three times, careful to keep his vampire strength in check, but still firm. He hears her heartbeat respond slightly.

He moves to her mouth again, blowing once, then twice, watching her chest rise and fall with his action. He makes the circuit twice more, his movement becoming slightly desperate.

"Please, Bella." He whispers, "Breathe for me."

He switches to her mouth again, a slight edge to his movements now. He pushes all his unneeded air into her lungs, hoping for a response, but none comes.

His eyes flicker to her neck and he finds himself leaning down and pressing his lips to her throat. He closes his eyes tight, and bares his teeth. He prepares himself to bite down when coughs and a takes her first gulp of air.

She breathes again, and he retreats from her neck at inhuman speed. She's c_o_ughing forcefully, but she's breathing all the same. Relief flares in his chest, followed immediately by crippling guilt. He'd almost extended to her the same curse that plagues his thoughts day and night.

"Edward?" She breathes, relief and gratitude evident in her voice.

She's starting to breathe easier, but her eyes flutter, and her lips are nearly blue.

"I've got you, Bella. You're safe." He assures her, knowing with confidence that he means it. She's safe with him.

Her eyes close and she sighs. He gathers her into his arms and races as fast as he can, careful to avoid people, until he reaches her duplex. Balancing her on one arm, he retrieves the key he's seen her use from underneath the welcome mat, opening the door quickly. He is relieved that Angela is not home, moving almost instantly to Bella's bedroom.

He lays her into the rocking chair—his rocking chair as he's come to think of it—knowing what needs to be done, but unsure.

He begins removing her soaked jeans, careful to keep his eyes diverted. He tries not to touch her skin, knowing that his touch is even colder than the ocean's icy grasp. He removes everything but her undergarments, and lowers her into a warm bath. He hopes he hasn't made it too hot, his own sense of temperature not exactly reliable. She continues to pass in and out of consciousness, but sighing when the water touches her skin. He wets a washcloth and dabs it across Bella's face, lingering on her frozen cheeks and blue-tinged lips. While she leans against the back of the tub, he towel dries her hair, and then brushes it carefully.

When the water begins to cool, he picks her up, holding her away from his body. He is thankful that she is not awake, knowing that if he were still human his face would have been stained a brilliant red, meaning hers would have been nearly double. He places her on her feet, leaning her against his side and holding her steady with one hand. He dries her limbs first, then her shoulders, moving gradually down her chest and midsection.

He grabs her large, fluffy robe and drapes it across her shoulders. He then places another towel between them, effectively covering both sides of her body.

He steadies himself, before reaching around the towel and removing her still soaked undergarments as quickly as possible. He immediately wraps the robe completely around her, tying it tightly. He breathes a sigh of relief to know that she is fully covered. He takes a moment to calm himself, then scoops her up, and lays her in her bed. He retrieves several more blankets and wraps her up tightly.

Her face looks peaceful, and her breathing is steady. He can't stop himself from leaning forward and pressing a small kiss to her temple.

Her scent washes over him strongly, and he realizes for the first time that he'd been breathing normally this entire time (well, almost the entire time. He'd had a bit of difficulty breathing period when he'd removed her last articles of clothing). Her scent is still just as staggeringly delicious, but it pales in relation to Bella herself.

He smiles then, thankful for whatever it is about this girl that intrigues him so—the same thing that kept him in check the very first day he met her.

Her eyes flutter open, and he grins at her.

"Everything is okay now, Bella. Are you feeling warmer?" He ask.

She nods her head sleepily, and he moves to take up his normal post in the rocking chair.

Her pale hand shoots out, wrapping around his wrist. He is happy to note that her skin seems wonderfully warm again.

"Stay with me?" She whispers.

He hesitates.

"Stay _here_ with me?" She asks, scooting over on the bed to make room. He pauses for a moment, worried about the temptation that being beside her will cause, but her chocolate eyes remind him that he's come this far, much further than he could have expected.

She tugs lightly on his wrist and before he can change his mind, he settles down beside her, staying outside the covers in order to keep her warm. He wraps his arms around her, and she leans into his chest, sighing contently. He breathes in deeply, her floral scent spreading through him.

As she falls asleep, he whispers, "Easier all the time."

A/N: Well, a third chapter down, all written during the course of my Art History class, yay! This is definitely my favorite chapter so far.

Now, it's time for your job, ladies and gents. Review and let me know if it was your favorite chapter so far. And also let me know which title you like best.

•Best Medicine

•Bad Medicine (for you Bon Jovi fans out there)

•Of Curses and Cures ( I personally, am leaning towards this one)

•A new suggestion by YOU!

Thanks darlings!


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: Thank you all for the wonderful reviews last chapter

A/N: Thank you all for the wonderful reviews last chapter! I must say, this is the quickest I've ever updated a fic. I'm usually the update once every two weeks kind of girl, but I'm enjoying this story so much and it's flowing so well! Thank you all for the title votes and suggestions. Of Curses and Cures received the most votes, so after this chapter, I will be changing the title, so remember the email alerts will no longer say Best Medicine! I'm sorry to those who voted for something other than Curses and Cures, know that I prized your votes very much!

**Chapter Four**

_December 2__nd__, 2008_

She sleeps through the entire day and most of the night. He listens to her talk in her sleep, hearing as usual several mentions of his name. His chest tightens when she begins to cry out for help in her sleep. His hand brushes her forehead, soothing the worried crease, and she calms, pulling herself closer to him. Her hands feel hot, even through his shirt, and he wonders if she has a fever.

A few minutes pass before her arms tighten, her hands fisting in his shirt, as she once again begins begging for help.

He places his hands on her cheeks, certain now that she has a fever. She leans into the touch, his cold skin soothing the heat plaguing her. He hears the familiar way her breathing grows shallower as she begins to waken, but his time he doesn't leave. Besides her hands on his back, there are many things keeping him here, more than he cares to admit.

"Edward." Her voice is raspy, and she winces after she speaks.

Knowing that her throat is probably sore, he says, "I'm right here. Would you like some water."

She nods, "Please."

He has the water in seconds, but he forces himself to wait outside a reasonable amount of time. It's possible that his secret has already been ruined, but there is hope that her trips in and out of consciousness kept her from realizing the things occurring around her.

He takes the water in and discovers she has already fallen back asleep.

"Bella." He wakes her gently. "Isabella, drink this, and take these, too." He hands her a few pills for her fever and the pain, "And then you can go back to sleep."

He has to help her, holding the cup as she leans forward. She swallows the pills, wincing again, and then takes several more gulps before settling back against the pillows.

He sets the glass on a table beside her bed, watching her slip back into sleep. He resists the urge to crawl back beside her, seating himself on the edge of the bed instead.

He stays for several more hours. Her fever eventually breaks, and she throws the covers off, sweating. He glances at the clock, knowing he has work soon, and probably needs to hunt first. Being this close to her has drained away much of his energy and strength.

He leaves a short note, saying where he has gone and promising to check-in on her soon. He watches her for one final moment, brushes a cold hand across the length of her cheek, and then escapes out the window.

_Early Morning, December 3__rd__, 2008_

Work seems long and frustrating. His eighty-years without aging have given him much patience, but it seems to have disappeared today.

He tries to concentrate on his work, tries to find some distraction—but remains miserable. A part of him toys with the idea of going home sick or with a supposed emergency, but something holds him back. He knows he must be prepared for the reality that his actions over the last few days could have seriously affected his future here in Seattle. Perhaps she'll remember the rescue itself, the inhuman speed with which he travelled to her home, or none of it at all. Either way, he'll have a decision to make—a decision that _should_ be easy to make. It should be like every other time that someone has gotten too close to their secret. He should pack up and leave—move back to Forks or start at another hospital somewhere else. The thought pains him more than it should. He wonders if perhaps there might be some way to stay, but his ever-steady points of reason quickly douse that hope.

He starts brainstorming possible excuses to the hospital, deciding quickly that the family excuse will be best. Perhaps he can get on at the hospital in Port Angeles, but no, that's too close to Forks, someone might recognize him, and wonder why a recent high school graduate is already a medical intern. Or maybe he'll make that trip to Denali, after all.

It's nearly two a.m. when someone peeks their head into the on-call room, saying he has a visitor.

Her cheeks are still pale, and she looks tired and ragged, but with a small smile on her face.

"Isabella." He is surprised, "You should be at home resting."

She is surprised that it doesn't bother her that he uses her full name. But she doesn't speak, only regards him curiously, and he fears the thoughts running through her mind.

"I guess while you're here, we should probably get you checked out."

She only nods, following him into an empty room. She doesn't acknowledge the cold of his skin as he checks her pulse. He knows without touching her that her pulse is fine, but he does it anyway. He checks her temperature—a decent 98.8 degrees Fahrenheit—and her blood pressure—normal. Neither speaks as he listens to her lungs or through the rest of the check-up.

"Well… looks like you just about healthy again, a little worn down is all."

She nods her head, and it isn't until he turns his back that she whispers, "I shouldn't be."

He pauses, his step nearly faltering, but he continues moving about the room, busying his hands, graceful as ever. He answers without looking at her, "You're right. You are quite lucky. What were you _thinking _sitting on the railing like that?"

She is surprised by the edge of anger in his tone, but she ignores his question and asks her own, "How did you get to me? You were nearly on the complete other side of the deck."

"I ran, Bella." He says simply. "And I got lucky after I jumped in and found you rather easily. So we're both lucky, I guess."

She regards him coolly, "Yes, quite lucky that we were still so _close_ to shore. Otherwise, how would you have managed to get us out of the water, _right_?"

There is a smug smile on her face, and he panics.

"Right, right. Well, if you'll excuse me, I have to get going. You really should go home and get some more rest." He makes his way towards the door.

"Will you still come check on me?" She calls.

He turns, reluctant, but the hopeful smile on her face has him nodding without another thought.

"My shift ends around noon, I'll be over as soon as I can after that."

She grins, checking her watch, "See you in about ten hours, then."

He watches as she walks away, noticing that her movements seem strained, exhausted. He knows it's a mistake, but somehow he can't bring himself to care. In his seventeen years of live and ninety other years of existing, he has never felt so alive as he feels in this instant. He's never longed for someone's company—human or vampire—as he longs for hers. So, as long as she wants him, he'll go to her, consequences be damned.

_Same Day, 1:00 P.M._

There's a sensation in his stomach that he almost doesn't recognize until he's standing outside her door—a bizarre blend of excitement and panic.

She presses a hand to her chest, the same chest he'd done compression on, and gasps for air.

He apologizes for scaring her, relieved that for once she's had a reasonable response to him, even if it had only been for a moment and for the wrong reasons. Maybe her instincts aren't completely lost. Maybe she can do the thing that he can't seem to do, and end this before it goes any further.

"Come in." She smiles. "I was just about to have lunch, will you join me? There's plenty for both of us."

He politely declines, claiming to have grabbed lunch on the way. She looks slightly disappointed, so much so that he is tempted to eat the stuff just to make her happy, but she quickly makes herself a plate while he takes a seat at the table.

He's unsure of what to do or say now. Had she intended for him to just check in on her and leave or perhaps stay longer?

"How are you feeling?" he asks.

"Mmm… better." She replies, "I took another nap when I got home, just like the doctor ordered." She grins, "But how are _you_ feeling?"

"Fine." He replies flippantly.

"Are you sure? I mean, you were in that water same as me, not to mention have to drag me to shore, revive me, and get me home. And then to have to go to work for so long, you must be exhausted!"

She leans close to him, too close, and studies the dark circles under his eyes. He leans away, not breathing, and responds, "I'm used to it."

"Used to saving clumsy idiots from near death experiences?" She laughs.

"Used to working without sleep." He corrects.

She nods, but doesn't reply, and he's nearly shaking with the need to know her thoughts. Has he been discovered? She's more perceptive than he believed. She turns to her food, the cacophonous scrape of her fork against the plate setting him even more on edge.

He notices that she seems tense too, but she still remains silent. When her plate is nearly clear, she suddenly throws down the fork in frustration.

"Are you ever planning on explaining any of this to me?" Her voice is desperate with more than a hint of anger.

"Explain what?"

Her face shows annoyance, "Oh, I don't know. Maybe how you got to me in the water? How you managed to hall me to shore? And don't say we weren't that far away because we'd been on that ferry for at least ten minutes. Or you could tell me what you were doing on the ferry in the first place. Hell, I'll even take an explanation as to why you skin _still_ feels as icy as that water?" She's breathing heavily and her face is red, for once not from blushing.

He brushes her off, his manner nonchalant. "Bella, you're making a big deal out of nothing, really. And as for my skin, I've always been rather cold-natured. I apologize if that _bothers_ you." He hopes that his sarcasm will distract her, but it doesn't.

She stands up sharply, and her chair tumbles backward.

"Big deal out of nothing, huh? Well if you won't explain those other things, perhaps you'll care to explain _this_?"

Her hands reach to the top of her button-up shirt, and she flicks open the first button. He tries to stop her, but she continues, revealing a somewhat low-cut spaghetti strap shirt. Peaking out from beneath her shirt is a pale expanse of chest, and his breath catches. There is a large bruise over her sternum with two more finger-like ones protruding out from it. If he had to wager a guess, he'd say there would be three more similar bruises all forming the identical imprint of his hand.

His face crumples in pain, and he's by her side in a moment.

"Oh God, Bella." His tone is tortured, "I'm so sorry. I thought… I thought I was being gentle. I tried, really." He reaches out and traces the very top bruise up towards her collar bone.

He hears her heart skip a beat, and then take off double time. She leans toward him, and his hands still on her skin. He makes the mistake of breathing, and her scent catches him, pulling him under. He knows she's seen his blacked eyes, when she lets out a gasp.

He's away from her in a second, eyes screwed shut, and fingers pinching the bridge of his nose.

"I'm sorry, Bella. This is wrong. I should go."

He's heading for the door, already planning an immediate getaway to Denali, when her voice breaks through.

"Please don't leave me."

He turns around, and his chest aches at the sight of her, so fragile, exactly why he shouldn't be here.

"You don't have to explain anything to me. Have your secrets. I don't care." She pleads.

"Bella, it's for the best. Me, being here, it's not good. It's rather dangerous, in fact." His voice is hard and serious.

Appalled, she cries, "Don't be stupid! You saved my life, Edward. I'd say it was worth a few bruises."

"This time it's bruises, next time it may be worse." He knows he's saying too much, but he can help himself around her.

She takes a step forward, unperturbed, and he tenses.

"Besides," She smiles softly, "You've seen my medical record. Having a doctor around certainly can't hurt."

"An intern." He qualifies.

"An intern who's good at _everything_, from running to swimming in freezing water, to saving my life."

His glare is a warning, and she holds her hands up in surrender.

"All I'm saying is that you are abnormally good at a great deal of things. That's it."

He sighs, lowering his head, and mumbles, "I'm not good at everything."

She's in front of him now, and he marvels at the fact that she had managed to sneak up on him. He must've been more distracted than he thought.

"What are you not good at?" She questions.

The words are out of his mouth before he can stop them.

"Staying away from you."

Her heartbeat stutters wildly. "So then stop trying." She whispers.

He covers his face with his hand and chuckles darkly, "I pretty much have."

There is a moment of silence before she replies, "Good." She moves back to the table and sits. "Now that that's settled, come sit with me."

He follows cautiously, impressed by her relaxed tone, but still not daring to breathe.

"I was thinking… since you saved my life, perhaps you would let me thank you… with dinner?"

She catches the momentary look of revulsion he shoots her food, but doesn't comment.

"Or we could do something else; we don't have to do dinner. Maybe a movie, or something along those lines?"

He waits a moment before agreeing, "A movie, it is."

She grins coyly, "Is tonight too short of notice?"

He laughs, "Tonight is perfect."

**A/N: Well, there's chapter four! I hope you enjoyed it. Good news, chapter five is almost done. If I get a good response, say twenty reviews at least, I promise to have it finished and posted before I leave to travel on Sunday… sound good? Yay! So, go review!**

**Also, I thought you guys might enjoy some humorous titles that my friend and I jokingly came up with, vote for your favorite, most awesomely ridiculously bad title!**

**A Shot of Love**

**The Cullen Cure**

**Diagnosis: LOVE**

**The Love Injection**

**(Thought of Something Funnier? Let us know!)**

**Love Love Love you all! Life-size Edwards for all of you!**


	5. Chapter 5

_Of Curses and Cures_

_Chapter Five_

_December 3__rd__, 2008, 7:00 P.M._

It seems impossible that he's standing in her house for the second time today—a house he normally enters via a window in the dead of night.

He's making small talk with Angela in the dining room while Bella finishes getting ready. They mostly talk about how she's feeling, and if the meds are changing anything. But towards the end of the conversation, Angela's focus changes.

"I'm glad you're giving her a chance."

He hates the way she says this and wants to protest immediately that it's really Bella giving him the chance—a chance he doesn't deserve, but she continues before he can.

"You know, I've never seen her like this. You bring something out in her that I haven't seen in a really long time."

_Not since Charlie died._

Her thoughts catch him off guard, and he has to stifle the inclination to begin asking questions. Who is Charlie? A father, brother, boyfriend? When did he die? How did it affect Bella?

Thoughts reel through his mind like a silent movie, each image worse than the last, and he forces himself to file the information away with the few things he knows about her.

"It's just nice to see her happy." She continues, and he realizes that he still hasn't said a word.

He is saved from formulating a response when Bella arrives. He can both hear and smell her presence behind him, and the anticipation is nearly incapacitating. He turns slowly and the sight of her is even more devastating than he could have dreamed. She wears a simple denim skirt, and a deep blue blouse—the same one she'd been wearing the day with the brownies. It looks better against her flushed skin than he remembered.

He has to stop himself from rushing forward and scooping her up into his arms. She blushes and he thinks she's never looked more beautiful.

He says she's breathtaking. And he means it, thankful that he doesn't really need the air.

She says goodbye to Angela, and he follows her out the door. He leads her to his Volvo, and she smiles.

"So you got it back then?"

"What?"

"Your car. It was still at the pier when Angela took me to get my truck. I worried that you didn't have a way to get to work."

He delivers his answer calmly, "Oh. I took the bus."

He waits for her to ask the next inevitable question: how he managed to get her back to her house after the accident without his car. She opens her mouth, and he prepares for the words to wash over him, words that could break him, his secret. But she doesn't ask.

"So tell me about yourself. Have you always wanted to be a doctor?"

He sighs, thankful for the change. "Not always, no. I've considered many things over the years, but my Father is a doctor. The work has been very _rewarding_ for him, so I decided to give it a try."

"And has it been for you?" She asks, "Rewarding, I mean?"

She smiles coyly. There is a strong emotion behind his answer, and he struggles to keep it from bubbling to the surface. "I'm not sure 'rewarding' could even begin to cover it."

He listens to her heartbeat quicken, a vibrant melody of life, and grins.

"What about you? What brings you to Seattle?"

Her face suddenly becomes guarded, "School, currently, for Journalism. But… well, I actually used to live near here when I was younger."

"Really, where?"

She shakes her head, "I doubt you've ever heard of it, really. Forks, Washington?"

She catches him by surprise, as usual, and a blinding grin covers his face.

"Forks… really? Wow, that's where my family lives, where I lived before coming here. How long ago did you live there?"

He scans his memory for any appearance of her or someone resembling her, but finds none.

"I moved away when I was fourteen, so I guess it's been five, almost six years."

Well, that explains it.

"Oh." He finds himself wishing that they'd moved to Forks just a few years earlier, but then of course, he would be in quite a spot trying to explain why he looked the same now as he did when she was fourteen.

"We didn't move in until about three years ago. So where did your family move?"

She pauses and he can read the hesitation on her face, "I, uh, moved to Phoenix to live with my Mom."

Some of the light in her eyes seems to diminish, and he wonders if this has anything to do with what Angela was thinking about. Did she know this Charlie in Forks before she moved? She had been so young, so surely that ruled out Charlie as a boyfriend. He is reluctant to acknowledge the intense relief this realization brings.

He hates the forlorn expression that crosses her face, so he quickly changes the subject.

"So, what movie will we be seeing?"

She grins before replying, "Thirty Days of Night."

Not exactly up to date with current cinema, he asks, "And what is that about?"

"_Vampires_." She replies, grinning wickedly.

If possible, his face seems to pale even more. His jaw hangs slack, his eyes wide with something like horror. Can she know? Is this some kind of joke?

She doesn't seem to notice his panic.

"My Dad used to love horror movies. That and sports was really all he ever watched."

He watches as her eyes light up at the memory, deciding that Charlie must be her Dad. His body relaxes, his marble fists unclenching, knowing that her choice of movie must be just a coincidence.

"And what about you?" He asks, "Do you like horror movies?"

She makes a face before answering, "Occasionally. I mainly chose this one because it was the only movie that looked even remotely appealing."

What she doesn't say is that it's the only movie showing that isn't a romance, and she isn't sure she could handle sitting so close to his god-like presence during something like that.

The rest of the ride goes smoothly, he asks about her mother and she answers with a small smile on her face. In turn, she questions him about his family, and he replies, editing a few things here and there, of course.

They talk about Forks—things they loved and things they hated, places they both frequented, and people they both knew.

"Newton? You dated _Mike_ Newton?"He asks, incredulous. He never thought he'd see the day when he would envy that fool.

"Don't judge me so quickly. I was only twelve, not exactly the pinnacle of reasonable decision-making."

He laughs, "I should think so. That kid absolutely loathed me."

"Really?" She asks, surprised of how assured his tone is, "And how do you know that?"

He wonders if he should lie, but decides a vague answer is best. "I could tell by his face when he looked at me. Most people are fairly easy to read, Bella."

"Most?" She grins, and for a moment he wonders if she's on to him.

"Yeah. You, I must admit though, are a little more confusing."

"I'm confusing?" She asks, bewildered. "I can't possibly be as confusing as you."

"How so?" He asks, but then immediately regrets it.

"Like for instance, the mere fact that you _knew_ Mike Newton and the Forks High Teachers, when you technically should have been away at Med school by the time your parents moved to Forks."

He groans and tightens his hands on the steering wheel, feeling it bend underneath the pressure, "You're too perceptive for your own good."

"Or maybe you just underestimate me too much for _your_ own good."

"Yes, that too." He responds.

The car is quiet for a moment, and he is thankful she doesn't push him any further. When she does respond, it's in a quiet whisper, barely audible.

"You know you can tell me, right? Whatever this big secret of yours is, it won't matter to me."

"It will." He assures her, "It _should_."

"Try me."

He lets out a strangled sigh, his posture abruptly rigid, "Perhaps another time."

She grins as they pull into a parking spot, "I'll be holding you to that."

He tries to push away the stress from her latest discovery and smiles, "For now, though, I'll be holding you to that movie you promised me."

He jumps out of the car and is opening her door in no time. Her breath stops when his cold hand wraps around hers. And he grins; knowing that he isn't the only one affected so strongly when they touch.

When they reach the front of the line, the girl in the ticket booth perks up, leaning towards Edward invitingly.

"Can I help you?" She asks, her stance a little too welcoming.

"Two to 30 days of Night, please." He says, sliding a bill thorugh the opening in the glass.

"Hey!" Bella objects, "I thought I was doing this to thank _you_… I'm pretty sure the thank-er is supposed to pay."

"Oops." He grins, again taking her breath away, "I guess you'll just have to thank me some other time."

She blushes, and a tingling sensation vibrates all the way down to the tips of her fingers. She isn't sure what it is about him that affects her so strongly, but she's determined to find out.

They take a seat around the middle of the nearly empty theatre, Bella snacking on the popcorn that Edward bought while she ran to the bathroom earlier. She had only protested once, before giving in, admitting that she was, in fact, a little hungry.

"So, how am I supposed to thank you now?" she grumbles.

"How about we just call it even… and if I'm ever in a life-threatening situation, it can be your turn to save me, okay?"

"Like that would ever happen, Hero Boy." She smiles, and it feels as though some void in his chest is suddenly filled. He decides that it will always be his ambition to see that smile as much as he possibly can.

"Hero boy?" His nose wrinkles slightly.

"It was either that or Boy Wonder."

"Ah… tough choice." He jokes.

She leans closer, preparing to say something else, but the theatre begins to darken. As soon as the lights go out, she's struck by a pulsing electric force seeming to radiate from somewhere in Edward's body into her own. She tenses, trying desperately to keep from reaching over and touching him. He's leaning away from her slightly, and she decides it's wise to do the same.

She completely misses the previews due to her concentration and barely pays any attention as the movie begins. She manages to grasp the basic premise—that a town in Alaska is about to experience 30 days without sunshine and a group of blood-thirsty vampires plan to use the darkness to their advantage.

Her body shakes with the effort to stay away from him when she finally decides it's not worth the effort. She leans closer to him slowly, and he his eyes grow wide, unsure. She takes her time stretching her hand towards him, giving him sufficient warning, and then she simply lays her hand on top of his. The current pulses stronger for a moment, but then relaxes to a bearable state. They both sink more comfortably into their seats, relaxing as well.

Edward takes her hand in both of his, cherishing the warmth. He watches her through most of the movie, expecting her to act as most girls do during horror movies but of course, she surprises him as usual. She never jumps or flinches, not even during the goriest, scariest parts.

At parts, he has to keep from laughing at the ridiculous characterizations of the vampires, but at other times, he winces as the movie plays out scenes eerily similar to mistakes of his past.

At one point, Bella leans toward him, her scent embracing him fully and asks, "Do you not like the movie?"

He leans towards her too and whispers, "No. It's fine."

"Too scary for you?" She teases.

"Hardly. I'd just rather watch you than the movie."

She blushes and turns back to the screen, but neither leans away. Their shoulders stay touching, and Edward spends the rest of the move alternating between watching Bella and tracing the lines of her palm.

She takes everything in the movie so coolly, and for a moment, he imagines himself telling her everything, but then he remembers that for Bella, Vampires are mythical creatures from scary bed time stories and ridiculous horror movies—nothing more.

The end of the movie comes too soon, the sun rises and all is well. There are times when Edward used to wish that death would be as simple as stepping into the sunlight. He is certain that if it were, he would have done it by now. But being here with her, feeling her tiny warm hand encompassed in his own, he is glad that his skin merely sparkles in the sun.

As they leave the theater, she holds on tightly to his hand, and he marvels at the wonder of it all. If Alice had told him a month ago, that his leaving to begin his career would result in holding this woman's hand, he would have thought her skills were failing her. He couldn't be more glad to be wrong.

"You know, I think I would make a wonderful vampire."

He feels as though his eyes might fly from their sockets as her words infiltrate his mind.

"W-what?" He asks, flabbergasted.

"I think I spent at least three, maybe more, Halloweens dressed as a Vampire. I made quite a good one, I'll have you know."

He can't help the mental image that flashes at him next. Bella, her skin even paler, the lines of her face slightly sharper, her muscles more defined. He sees himself beside her, no longer a danger to her, and it's literally painful how much he wants it.

_Wrong._

He tells himself it's wrong, but it's not enough to get the image out of his mind.

He realizes they've stopped walking, and Bella is looking at him expectantly.

"Well?" She asks.

"I'm sorry, what did you ask?"

"I said, did little Edward Cullen ever play Vampire?"

Her smile is playful, and he hopes his is in return.

"No." He tries to force a grin onto his face, "I never really had the urge to wear fake fangs and a cape."

"That's too bad." She skips a few feet ahead of him, before spinning around to smile at him, "I've always had a thing for vampires."

He tries to stop the explosive joy in his chest from showing on his face, but for the life of him (or rather the lack there of), he can't stop the brilliant grin that lights up face, and now he isn't so sure he cares to try.

**A/N: Okay, okay. So I couldn't resist taking them to see a Vampire Movie. I've never seen 30 days of Night, but I have read the plot summary, so I tried to keep it a little vague. **

**Thanks for all your votes on the Corny titles… I believe "The Cullen Cure" was the winner. **

**As for this story, I'm not entirely sure where I'm going with it. I've got a broad idea for the entire thing, but if anyone has any requests for things you'd like to see happen, I'd be happy to consider them. **

**Reviews make the world go round. **


	6. Chapter 6

Of Curses and Cures

Chapter Six

December 6th, 2008

He comes to the end of a three day shift, and he literally aches with the need to see Bella. It is well after midnight when he arrives outside her duplex. He wonders if he should knock on the door or enter through the window as always.

He listens for her breathing, and hears her in her room, her breaths even and steady in sleep. The anticipation to see her is now almost painful—the most pain he's felt in decades. He's through her window and into her room in less time than ever. He enters the dark room is so overwhelmed by the beauty of her scent that he nearly misses her gasp.

"Edward?"

Her heart beats furiously and he freezes. His mind reels and his body struggles to find his next move. She had been breathing so regularly that he had been sure she was asleep. He moves back to the window, furious with his mistake. This was the final straw—he'll have to leave town now. It's not exactly normal behavior to vault through a girl's window in the middle of the night. Perhaps it is for the best anyway.

He considers leaving through her door, but the window would be much easier. And she'd already seen his inhuman movement once, what's one more time?

His hand grasps the window pane as he prepares to duck through.

"Wait." She whispers, almost inaudible, but he hears her.

His body reacts without permission, and turns to her.

"You don't have to go."

"I should." He insists.

She smiles, "What I meant to say was… don't go."

He hesitates for a moment, before nodding. He can't seem to deny her anything. He stays near the window just in case, but she gestures for him to come closer.

"This feels a little backwards." He sighs, "Shouldn't you be furious or terrified and demanding that I leave?"

"Do I have a reason to be terrified?"

He answers her immediately and without any doubt, "Absolutely."

She sits up in bed, pulling her knees up to her chest, her face contemplative. "Well… then let's just agree to ignore the things we _should_ be doing and do what we want."

He knows what he wants. He wants _her_. But he also knows that he has no right to want her.

"I've missed you." Her tone is quiet and it comes out like a question.

She knows that she's spent the last three days glancing to bronze-haired strangers on street corners, only to notice that their hair was really more of a normal brown. She missed him terribly, but she isn't sure if it was right to voice it. She already feels far more into their—relationship… can she even call it that?—than he, and sometimes she catches an angry look on his face whenever she admits just how truly obsessed she is. But he doesn't seem angry now, only relieved.

"And seeing as how you couldn't wait till morning and decided to sneak into my room in the middle of the night… I'm guessing you missed me too."

He chuckles, "Very much so."

Bewildered by her calm exterior, he can't help but wait for her to run from the room screaming at any moment. Isn't that what normal people do when someone breaks into their home? But then again, she's never been exactly normal.

She gestures him forward once again, and this time he complies. She slides over in her bed, patting the space beside her.

He sits carefully, his body rigid as though he were a statue upon a pedestal.

Silence and half a dozen emotions fill the void between him, and she wants nothing more than to touch him, but holds back. She feels almost as though she needs permission.

"So…" The palpitations of her heart are wild and all over the place, and he waits for the inevitable questions to come pouring from her mouth.

"What are we?" She asks with a nervous smile. "I mean, we've been on a date… or at least I thought it was a date. And… I like you. And I hope that you like me. I mean, surely you wouldn't be sneaking into my room if you didn't want to see me. And one would think if you went through so much trouble to see me, you wouldn't exactly hate me, which would mostly imply that—"

He silences her by placing a finger over her lips.

"Implying… that I like you too." He finishes for her.

She smiles against his finger, and he forgets how to breathe, even though he's been doing it for more than a century. He traces his finger from her lips across the high plane of her cheek, and her eyes flutter closed.

He draws his finger along the line of her jaw, marveling at the warmth.

"What are you thinking about?" He asks.

She blushes, but answers, "I'm trying to decide if you're real."

He cups her cheek with her hand, and he loves that she leans into his touch.

"And what have you decided?"

Her eyes open and she seems surprised at how close he is, but neither moves away.

"I hope that you're real." There is a longing in her voice that almost makes his cautious side rear up again… _almost._ "But I'll pretend if I have to."

He sighs, wishing this were only as simple as real and make-believe. The quiet envelops them for a few minutes, and he can't bear to pull his hand away from her warmth, so he doesn't.

"Something's been bothering me." He begins. "Might I ask you a question?"

She looks hesitant, but nods, "Only if I can have one question in return."

He stiffens, "I can't promise that I'll be able to answer, but I'll try."

She smiles, lifting her chin up towards him, prepared for his question.

"If you don't wish to talk about this, I understand. But… that day on the ferry… I watched you climb onto that rail, and I just can't help but wonder what you were thinking."

He is surprised when she laughs.

"It's not anything like you're thinking. It was all rather silly, actually."

She blushes and his interest grows even further.

"Well… you see, I was… oh, this is embarrassing. The wind, it was like…" She pauses, searching for the right word and irritation bubbles up inside of him. At seeing the look upon his face, she blurts out her answer quickly.

"The wind was cold and strong, and this may sound stupid, but it reminded me of you."

His jaw drops, this revelation catching him completely off-guard.

"That's why I was so surprised to see you. I thought you were a ghost, or I'd finally gone crazy. " She laughs again.

"So you mean to say, you did something incredibly dangerous and stupid, I might add, because it reminded you of _me_?" There is an edge of anger in his voice, and she watches him pinch the bridge of his nose.

She runs a hand across the worried crease in his forehead, his skin like frozen rock beneath her fingertips.

"Even when I'm not around you, I still manage to put you in danger." His eyes are still squeezed shut, but some of his frustration ebbs away with her touch.

"Is it time for my question now?" She asks.

Edward's body tightens involuntarily, preparing for the inevitable. There are a thousand questions she could ask him, any one of which would reveal his secret. But the words that spill from her mouth are the last ones he would have expected.

"What does your house in Forks look like?"

There is a peculiar smile on her face, but slightly relieved, he answers, "Well, it's a large, two story white house pretty far out of town, back into the forest. It's very open and the entire back wall has been replaced with a glass panel so that you can see the creek that flows out behind the house into the forest. "

She nods, appearing satisfied, before asking another question, "Ánd what is it that keeps you from telling me your secret? Do you not trust me?"

"What?" He asks. "No, of course I trust you, Bella." He is surprised by how very truthful his answer is.

"Then what is it? I mean, I would understand if you just weren't interested in sharing yourself with me."

He cuts her off abruptly, "That's not it at all Bella."

He considers saying that she's already used her one question—bizarre as that one question was—but decides to step out on a limb.

"It's not that I don't want to share things with you, Bella. It's more that I'm terrified of scaring you off."

She grins widely, and for what seems like the millionth time, he wishes her were privy to her thoughts.

"Is that all? That's nothing to worry about."

His jaw drops in shock—that seems to be happening a lot lately.

"So," she smiles, "If you knew without any doubt that I couldn't be scared off, would you share your secret with me then?"

He thinks for a moment, earnestly considering her question. Is that the only reason he hasn't told her yet? He trusts her, he has to. She's seen plenty that could damage him so far, but she's made no move to do so. Edward studies her, trying to decide if she's serious.

He sighs, "I'd say that something would be very wrong if you weren't afraid."

She looks slightly offended. "Maybe I'm just well suited to danger."

"If you mean attracting it, then yes." He grins crookedly, and it takes her a moment to respond.

"I guess that's fair. " her eyes are calculating, almost guarded. "I do have a habit of attracting dangerous things… dangerous _creatures_."

Her voice is quiet, and for an instant he thinks he might have imagined her last words, but when his head snaps up to meet her anxious gaze, her face half-hidden behind the curtain of her hair, he's certain that he heard correctly. He has half a mind to ignore the comment completely and flee the room. He has no idea idea how to reply so he asks a different question.

"Why did you ask about our home in Forks?" He's staring at the wall, his tone searching, desperate. She wonders if she has pushed him too far. But when he looks at her again, his eyes are intense with a glimmer of hopefulness.

"I've been there." She answers simply. "It was before you moved of course."

The surprise is evident on his face. Why would she have been there? He knew for certain that she'd not been to visit a previous owner because they'd owned that house for decades, since the last time that he, Carlisle, and Esme lived in Forks.

She continues, "It all started as a silly game really. My best friend actually told me about the place… told me stories about some… former owners."

His eyes are wide and he can't seem to wrap his mind around what she is saying.

"It was a beautiful home. It was abandoned, so it looked almost ghostly. My friends, they were an unusual bunch. Much more coordinated than me," she laughed. "They had quite a time of messing around trying to scare me. You see, like I said, they'd told me stories about the home's previous occupants… stories that were meant to scare me."

She chances a look up at him and his fists are clenched tight, knuckles whiter than marble.

"And those storis did scare me once upon a time, but after that summer—things changed. My friends changed. And I learned that the things I heard in those stories, weren't necessarily things I had to fear."

He interrupts—his voice hard. "What do you mean?"

"Like I said, I have a tendency to attract things that _could_ be dangerous."

She knows she's skirting around the issue and decides to face it head on.

"My best friend's name was Jake. He lives down at La Push, and his dad is one of the Quileute Elders. And like I said, that summer my friends went through some changes—changes that we'd only heard of in stories—the same types of stories that led me to what would become your house." She pauses for a moment, "What already was your house."

He feels something crumbled inside of him, and he can't decide whether the sensation is devastating or liberating.

So she knew. There was no more pretending or hiding. He would have to make a choice—stay or leave. It sounded so simple in theory, but with every new resolution came more complexities.

"So, you aren't afraid of me then?" he remains guarded.

"Like I said, I have a bit of a history with dangerous creatures."

She watches as the full force of her words hit him, all her clues finally falling into place. An indescribable look crosses his face, and she thinks, for the first time, that she can see a glimpse of the part of him he's been hiding.

"Werewolves?" he hisses.

She is taken aback by his sudden forcefulness, but nods nonetheless.

He wants to ask if she's insane. Does she have any idea how dangerous werewolves can be? And it sounded as though these were even young werewolves, which was much worse. He wants to hold her, caging his arms around her to keep everything dangerous away, but he knows that's impossible, not unless he leaves too.

Instead, he smiles grimly, "Bella Swan, you are by far the most utterly absurd and completely perplexing human I've ever had the pleasure of knowing."

She laughs, but looks relieved at the resolved tension.

"So, you're not angry with me?"

"Angry?" He questions, puzzled. "Why would I have any reason to be angry? Bella, you've been accepting and wonderful and far too kind."

"It's just… you tried so hard to keep your secret. I thought maybe you would be upset that I knew."

"Not angry, Bella, never angry." He smiles, "It's actually quite a relief, more so than I ever could have thought. I just can't believe you've known all this time."

She stops him, "Well, I haven't known the entire time. After the ferry, I had some suspicions. It had been so long since that summer in Forks and the name Cullen evaded my memory for a while. But after the movie, when you actually mentioned Forks, I was almost certain. And… I, well, I called Jake to check."

"Your werewolf friend?" He asks gruffly.

She nods again.

He sighs, both relieved and withdrawn. At least now, she would believe his feelings were real, but respect his ultimate decision.

"I guess I should be leaving, then."

"Wait—what?" Her small hands close around his forearm, and he reels at the sensation.

"Bella, now that you know what I am. You know why I have to leave.

He has to turn away at the look of disappointment on her face.

"So, it's too hard to be around me, is that it? I'm sorry, I should have known—"

"Bella." He cuts her off. "It's not that. I mean, yes, it is hard to be around you. You have no idea how wonderful you smell."

She scrunches up your nose, "So you're afraid you might bite me?"

"What?" He shouts, "No! Never! Bella, I'd rather die than harm you."

"Then I don't understand. What's the problem?"

He sighs in exasperation, "Perhaps, I spoke too soon. You do know what I am, you know that I'm a vampire?" It's strange how easily the confession comes now. "You know that every moment you spend with me is incredibly dangerous."

"Of course I know. But you said that you wouldn't harm me, I trust you."

Frustrated, he pinches the bridge of his nose. "It's not just the blood thing, Bella. There are other things, like my strength. I could mean to grab your hand and end up crushing every bone in it. Was the movie we watched earlier in the week not an ample demonstration of my danger to you."

She laughs, knowing that the vampires in the movie were entirely different from the real vampire in front of her.

He scowls playfully, "Choosing a vampire film, how clever of you."

She grins, "That wasn't on purpose. It was completely a coincidence. But I must confess that I did lie to you that night."

He raises an eyebrow in question.

"I told you I had a thing for vampires, when in truth," she whispers, lacing her fingers with his, "it's really only one vampire in particular."

He looks down at their hands, and his breath hitches.

"I'm not good for you." He repeats.

"Let me be the judge of that."

And it's tempting to do just that. So tempting, in fact, that he finds himself nodding without resistance.

A yawn forces itself from her mouth, and she blushes. He chuckles and scoops her up quickly. She squeals as he pulls back her covers and dumps her unceremoniously on the bed.

"You should sleep now, my Bella."

It rolls off his tongue smoothly, and he can't stop the surge of pride at being able to call her his own. He'd never known himself to be the possessive type.

"And you'll stay?"

Her eyelids are already drooping and he smiles despite his reservations.

"If you wish it, Isabella Swan."

She smiles, but doesn't open her eyes.

"Granting wishes now, are we?"

"Only for you."

Her eyes open and she grins hopefully. "Then I wish you'd stay. And, I don't just mean tonight. I understand if you can't do that, but…"

He sits down on her bed next to her in one fluid motion, shushing her.

"Bella, I'm not even sure that leaving is possible for me at this point. You are too alluring for your own good."

She blushes deeply, and he hesitates a moment before sweeping his knuckles across the curve of her cheek.

"I don't know about that," she chuckles, "but I'm thankful that anything that keeps you here." She blushes anew, her expression suddenly bold, "You are my life now."

Something collapses in him and he suddenly knows without question that there is no going back from here. And he finds himself oddly delighted at that realization.

"And you my Isabella, are my entire existence."

A large grin lights on her face, and for a moment he envisions himself leaning forward and capturing those upturned lips with his own, but she yawns and it snaps him from his trance. He watches her as she slips into sleep, feeling wonderfully as though he is about to embark on the beginning of something miraculous—the beginning of an entirely new life.

**A/N: I know that it's been a while, and I apologize. I spoiled you all with those quick updates! I've had this chapter written for a while, but I had several papers due for school, and never got a chance to type it. Most of the next chapter is written, too. And I will try and get it to you this week. **

**Until Later, **

**SiriuslyPadfoot'sGal**


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: I'm not sure that this will be necessary, as I think it is quite obvious. But I thought that I would make it clear that I'm making no effort to parallel this story to the actual plot of Twilight. Yes, there are similarities. But the purpose of fanfiction, at least for me, is to have an entirely new take on a familiar story. So hopefully no one will have a problem with the slight liberties I take in this chapter. **

_Of Curses and Cures_

_Chapter Seven_

_Early morning, December 6__th__, 2008_

Her dreams are filled with images she knows well—Jacob and his friends, both in their human and wolf forms. Normally, Jacob as a wolf is a fun experience. He is playful and sweet, and the dream begins this way. But suddenly it changes and all of her old friends are on edge, poised on all fours as if to attack. She feels cold arms wrap around her waist, Edward's sweet scent infiltrating her senses. She looks back to her Quileute friends just in time to see them lunging towards her in attack.

She wakes with a start, her hair damp with perspiration and stuck to her forehead. Her breathing is uncontrolled as she sits up straight and covers her eyes, willing herself to remember that it was only a dream.

She feels a cold touch on her shoulder and she jumps in surprise. Her head whips around and the sight of him leaning against her headboard looks so much like a beautiful dream that she is tempted to pinch herself. They stay still for several more moments, their eyes locked on one another.

"Are you alright?" he asks.

She hears his voice—wonderfully melodic and so perfect that it can't possibly be something she dreamed up. She's not that clever.

She whispers, "You're real," before throwing herself into his arms. He tenses below her, but she doesn't notice. She buries her head into his icy neck, greedily taking in his scent. She is straddling him, one leg on each side with her chest pressed against him. She involuntarily shivers against his cold form and then hears his strangled whisper above her.

"Bella?"

She realizes too late what she has done, and makes to scramble away from him.

The feel of her against him with her sweet blood pumping excitedly in her veins—it was exquisite… and entirely too much for him to handle, but to see her running away from him sent the monster in him bursting from long-formed cages and raging out of control. He barely manages to whisper, "Don't!" before he has leapt to his feet to follow her, catching her by her shoulders and pulling her up to him. Her feet are dangling off the floor, and her eyes are wide in surprise, but miraculously he can't smell her fear.

His eyes are like hard onyx and his mouth filled with venom. His lips are against her throat before he manages to rein in the monster.

He groans, the sound burgeoning with pain, but he has regained control, if only barely. He holds her completely still, not sure if he is strong enough to handle any movement by either of them. He fears loosening his statue-like pose, unsure if he can force himself to move away. His eyes are shut tight, willing the darkness to drown it out… to drown everything out.

"My father died when I was fourteen." She whispers. "His name was Charlie Swan, and he was the police chief of Forks. He and my mother married right out of high school and they had me a little less than a year later."

The venom flow in his mouth begins to lessen. Bless her, she's trying to distract.

"They grew apart, and I stayed with my Dad while my Mom travelled. When he died of a heart attack, I moved to phoenix to live with my mom Renee."

It is working. He is beginning to think clearly now.

"I've only been back to Forks once since then, but I got caught out in the rain and ended up spending most of the visit with pneumonia."

He chuckles tiredly, and slowly lowers her until her feet are again touching the ground.

His eyes are sad when he looks at her, and he can feel the weight of shame bearing down on him, right down to his fingertips.

"I'm so sorry, Bella. Do you see now why I'm bad for you?"

She shakes her head, "Stop it. Don't you dare try to make my decisions for me, Edward Cullen. That was nothing I can't handle."

She'd talked many a werewolf down from fits of rage much worse than that. And she was afraid to admit, that even if he had bitten her, had she had the chance to undo the decisions that had led her to that moment, she wouldn't have changed a thing.

He is absolutely flabbergasted. Why is she not terrified? He had been so close to taking her right then—closer than he's been to taking human blood in years.

"Do you want to be here with me?" She asks. "That's all I really need to know. Do you want me?"

He wants to crush her to his chest, but knowing that he might possibly do just that—crush her—he steps backwards, instead.

"God, yes, Bella. That's the problem I want you so badly, in every way. I want to hold you in my arms always. I want nothing more than to give you anything you ask for. But you have to know… I… it's hard to explain, Bella, but your blood to me—it's unlike any other blood. Not only do I want you more as a person than anyone else in this world, but my thirst longs for your blood more than any other blood. It's like it sings to me, to the monster in me."

Her expression is carefully blank, and he winces. Now at least, she knows. She knows the worst part of him.

She takes a step forward, putting them back in arm's length of each other.

"Well, I guess I'll just have to out sing my blood. Sing to the man instead of the monster."

He doesn't know what to say to her. She does attract the man in him, more than his gentlemanly upbringing will allow him to admit. But he will never forgive himself if he harms her.

"Edward, look at me. I understand how hard this is for you, or at least I'm trying to understand. But you said you wanted all of me—blood included."

He turns his face from her, the crippling guilt on his shoulders making it difficult to remain standing.

"That's good." She smiles, "Because I love all of you, monster included."

He snaps, " you don't know what you're talking about. I could _kill _you, Bella. I nearly just did, and I could kill myself for it. And because of what? Because you touched me? Is that anyway to spend a life together?"

"It will get easier, it has to." Her voice is somber, and he is struck by how young she suddenly seems.

"And if it doesn't?"

She looks up at him, his face contorted in what looks nearly like torture, and she wants to say that perhaps instead of a just a life together, they should spend an eternity together. She thinks that would solve all their problems, but she doesn't say it.

Instead, she replies, "If it doesn't, then we'll have this conversation again."

She moves back toward him slowly, her hands outstretched in warning. She stops directly in front of them, the small space between then humming with energy. She gives him time to stop her, leaving her small hands hovering a few centimeters away from his arms, before finally resting her hands on his biceps.

"I've hurt you." He whispers, eyeing the bruised finger prints on her upper arms.

She shrugs, "Bruises fade."

"I'm sorry." She's never heard something so sincere.

"You're entirely forgiven. It was nothing really."

He scoffs, "Nothing? You are absurd." He softens, his golden eyes seeming almost molten, "What can I do to make it up to you?"

She thinks for a moment. His skin beneath her hands feels marvelous and the electric wave flowing between their bodies is nearly piercing. Her heart beats heavily and she feels as though it has risen into her throat.

"What is it? What can I do?" He asks, curious as to her bizarre reaction.

She flushes a brilliant red, swallowing thickly.

She glances up at him from beneath her lashes, asking timidly, "Kiss it and make it better?"

**A/N: Okay… I know it was short. But the good news is… I've got a lot more written, but decided to split what I had into two chapters. And I know I left you a little bit of a cliff hanger, but if I get some good reviews, I promise to post again either tomorrow or the next day. **

**Also, I'm reaching the end of what plot I had planned for this fic, and I'm about to venture out into uncharted waters. So if anyone has a request or suggestion as to what direction this fic might take… let me know. **

**Who would you like to see or not see in this fic? **

**The rest of the Cullen clan?**

**Those good old Quileute boys?**

**James, Victoria, and Laurent?**

**Or perhaps an new villain altogether?**

**Review and let me know what you'd like to see. The more reviews I get, the sooner the second half of this chapter will be up. You know you all want Edward to kiss and make everything better. ******


	8. Chapter 8

A/N:Thank you all for the feedback last chapter. I got very mixed reviews on pretty much everything except for seeing the Cullens… so rest assured that will happen. As for the Quileute boys and whether or not the villain will be James and Victoria or someone new…. That's still up in the air… so if you're very opinionated on one of those two topics…. Include it in your review again, and I'll go with the majority.

Of Curses and Cures

Chapter Eight

_December 6__th__, 2008_

He stills at her question. Doesn't she know how much he longs to kiss her every moment of every day? He's been witness to hundreds upon hundreds of kisses in the minds of others, but the only kiss he ever wants to know is hers. He glances again at her bruised wrists, and his chest feels hollow, empty.

He takes hold of one wrist, raising it to his face. He studies the purpled prints for a moment, his movements almost mournful, then presses a cold kiss to the marked skin. He kisses each bruise and by the time he reaches for her other wrist her knees are weak and her pulse racing.

"Edward." She rasps, her mouth strangely dry.

"Mm?" He questions, his mouth continuing his quest.

She doesn't answer, but her erratic heartbeat tells him that something is wrong, so he looks up. Her face is a vivid red and she looks as though she might pass out at any moment.

"Breathe Bella."

She sucks in a desperate breath, feeling her lungs expand in welcome. He glances back at her wrist, specifically the two bruises he still has left to go. He contemplates for a moment before dropping her wrist and stepping away from her.

She groans and he ducks his head shamefully. "I'm sorry."

"What in the world are you apologizing for now? The sinking of the Titanic?" She breathes.

"Don't be ridiculous, Bella—I was only eleven when the Titanic sunk."

There is a momentary pause before her jaw drops in an audible gasp.

"You were _eleven _in 1912?"

He nods hesitantly, wondering if this is the moment where she will finally realize her mistake and walk away from him for good.

"No wonder." She whispers to herself, before turning her attention back to him, "What what it that you were apologizing for exactly?"

He ignores her question, "What did you mean by that? By 'No wonder'?"

She blushes and replies, "I asked you first."

He regards her for a moment, skeptical, but she turns her expectant gaze on him and he has to look away. He isn't sure how to say what he needs to express, but he's certain that if he could blush, his own face would match hers for once.

"I've never… I'm not…" He pauses and groans in frustration. "I'm new at this… I didn't mean to—"

"Nearly make me faint from pleasure?"

It is his jaw that drops now. "Pleasure?"

The word rolls off his tongue sensually, and it sends shivers down her spine.

"You mean… you were okay with _that_?"

"Okay?" She questions, bewildered. "Edward that could never be described as just _okay._"

He grins widely and she laughs.

"Proud of yourself?"

He nods happily. "So if it wasn't just okay," he smirks. "Then what exactly would you describe it as?"

She knows he's fishing for compliments now, but she is still slightly light-headed and the scent of him is surrounding her in the most wonderful way.

"Mmm… I'm having trouble thinking of the word for it." She replies, "Perhaps, you should do it once more, to you know, jog my memory."

He places both hands on her cheeks, and she has to hold onto his forearms to keep from swaying.

"Only if you'll tell me what you meant by 'No wonder.'"

Her cheeks are dusted with pink once again, but there is a strange glint in her eye.

"Well… I had assumed that your many years of life explained your… um, talents. I figured you'd had lots of practice." She is rigid by the time she finishes her statement, her jaw clenched tight, and he wonders 

if she's jealous… not that there is anything of which to be jealous, but the look on her face is adorable, nonetheless.

"I said 'no wonder,'" she continues, "Because I thought the years accounted for the way you can dazzle me with very little effort whatsoever."

He trails a finger lightly along the silken skin of her neck, and whispers, "I dazzle you?"

"Frequently."

He leans close to her, his breath fanning across her face. "Well, if it's any consolation… I find myself quite incapacitated in your presence also."

He stares into her eyes, marveling at how much had changed since he leapt through her window the night before. He would forever be grateful for his distracted state that kept him from realizing she'd been awake after all.

"Well… what are you waiting for?" She smiled, "Dazzle me, already?"

She expects him to return again to her wrist, but his eyes flick briefly to her lips, and her heart thuds heavily in her chest.

He feels almost as though there is a magnetic pull between them. He hesitates unsure of whether or not to test himself, especially considering the way he'd nearly harmed her not long ago. But his eyes glance towards her lips once more, and they are so moist and parted and _welcoming _.

He bends towards her, but at the last minute, his doubts overtake him. He hears her disappointed sigh, and instead places a small kiss on the juncture between her neck and shoulder. Her breath catches, and she sways in his arms.

He suppresses a chuckle, focusing again on the soft, warm flesh of her neck. Her blood pulses wildly in her veins. He can see the miniscule movement of her pulse point, and he inhales deeply. Her scent crashes over him in waves, and it's almost delightfully suffocating. He's never smelled something so marvelous.

He kisses directly over her pulse point, the very evidence of her life—vibrant and active beneath his lips.

Her hands slip from his arms and settle on each side of his neck. He can feel the beat of pulse in each hand, surrounding his neck, and for a moment he feels her heartbeat as though it is a part of him, too. He traces his lips from her pulse point to the base of her neck and then back. Her hands grip his neck tightly and the warmth envelops him.

He places another kiss on the corner of her jaw just beside her ear and whispers, "I love you."

He finds it funny that it took him decades to find a woman that interested him, but only days to fall madly in love with her.

"And I love you."

He hadn't intended to kiss her fully, intent on taking things slowly, but at hearing the words from her mouth, he loses control. He crushes his lips to hers, immediately feeling her bury her hands in his hair. The kiss is not careful, but it is honest. He pours all of himself into it—his joy, his passion, his guilt, his hope.

He offers up all of himself.

The man.

And the monster.

And she matches him completely, accepting everything he gives her.

He pulls away before it can spiral even more out of control.

She gasps, and it takes a moment for him to realize that the morning sun is shining through her bedroom window.

"Dazzling is right." She whispers, pulling a finger from the sparkling skin of his neck up to his strong jaw and the marble smooth expanse of his cheek.

"There is so much I don't know about you." She whispers.

"And I you. It's torture not being able to hear your thoughts."

He pulls back and lies across her bed, his long legs dangling off the side. At her confused look, he smirks playfully, "Didn't I tell you I could read minds?"

Her jaw drops and he laughs. He opens his arms to her in welcome, and she climbs on the bed, snuggling up against his side.

She is struck by how different he seems already, so much more carefree. She had worried that the little incident this morning would have set them back greatly, but he seems relaxed. She wonders if he's forgotten for the time being, but knows that's a vein hope, by the careful way his arm is situated around her shoulders. She shakes the thoughts from her mind, choosing instead to relish the touch of his cool skin on her heated flesh.

They spend the entire morning asking questions back and forth, discovering truths, discovering each other.

It is late in the afternoon when she yawns against him, burrowing her head into the crook of his neck. "Can we just lie like this forever?" she mumbles.

And a part of him, the selfish part, wants nothing more than to grant that wish.

**A/N: Short again, I know. I'm going to try and lay out the rest of the plot this week, so if you have a request, suggestion, or particularly strong opinion on what characters should or should not appear or what events should or should not happen… speak now or forever hold your peace. **

**And I now pronounce you wonderful readers, you may kiss the bride (also known as… leave a review).**

**smiles**


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: Wow. I had a tremendous response for the last few chapters, and I have to thank you all so very much. **

**Now, in answer to some reviews, there are a few things that I need to make plain about this fic before I go any further. If you're looking for a fic that is highly developed or polished, I'm sorry to say that you may want to look elsewhere. I'm currently working on finishing up another fanfiction that has been in the works for four long years, and I'm right smack in the middle of an original novel as well as several plays. So, this fic was started purely because I needed a break for my own sanity. This is why I have refused several offers by reviewers to beta the fic—I'm not looking to get too serious with this. As I said, this is purely for my own sanity—an opportunity to experiment with new styles and techniques, and I posted it in the hopes that someone might enjoy a bit of my tired and demented ranting. So to those who have left constructive criticism, I thank you very much, you're doing your job as a reviewer! And I will certainly take all of your advice to heart and do my best to improve on those things in future chapters, but I must apologize because at this point, I do not plan to go back and fine tune this fic. I'm not looking to make this into some kind of fanfic masterpiece, because frankly I have too much else to do. This is merely my means of escape from other things I'm writing at the moment. **

**So, I hope this hasn't offended or disappointed anyone, but I had to make clear my intentions. Rest assured, that I will still be having fun with this fic, and if you, like me, are looking for a break from the real world, I hope you'll continue reading!**

**And now, after much long-winded rambling ,I bring you the next chapter. **

_Of Curses and Cures_

_Chapter Nine_

_December 9__th__, 2008_

It is early morning when his forty-eight-hour shift comes to an end. The other workers around him are struggling to hold back yawns, their bleary eyes blood-shot from lack of sleep. Luckily, he looks just like them—pale with dark circles beneath his eyes. But he never yawns and he never sleeps.

He removes his scrubs in a hurry, desperate to leave these walls that smell of age, sickness, and death. He thinks of another scent, the memory of which is even more intoxicating than he can describe, and his stride toward the exit of the hospital quickens. He is ten paces out of the door, moving quicker than he probably should, when the breeze blows past him.

He whips around quickly, too quickly for any normal human, and he's already crossed half the distance between them by the time she looks up from her seat on the bench outside the hospital doors. She's 

wearing a cobalt blue dress that gathers around her ribcage before flowing out generously, and he is stopped in his tracks. He's never seen her in anything besides casual clothing, and suddenly everything he's seen in all his many years pales in comparison to this moment.

A movement catches his eye and he notices that she is tapping her foot in anxious anticipation. He grins before taking the last few steps, closing the space between them. He circles his arms around her waist and pulls her upright, spinning her once before burying his head into the curtain of her hair and inhaling happily.

She laughs light-heartedly and replies, "Good morning to you, too."

He chuckles against the skin of her neck, and then feels her shiver in response.

"What brings you here so early in the morning?"

He pulls back to look at her face, keeping his arms secured tightly around her waist.

"I thought we might go grab some breakfast together. And by breakfast, I of course mean you watching while I eat." Her laugh tinkles like tiny little bells. It's moments like these that he is thankful for his impeccably perfect memory—the guarantee that he will remember this moment for all of his existence is almost spectacular enough to outweigh the worst of his cursed life.

"I would like nothing more than to watch you eat. Though don't mind me if I choose not to breathe, I do find the smell of human food rather repulsive."

She pauses for a moment, confused, and he watches the awareness come across her eyes.

"I forgot that you don't need to breathe. That's just so… _weird_." She replies.

"Helpful, though, especially when certain scents become a little too much for me to handle."

He isn't talking about food anymore, at least not anything she considers food, and by the look on her face she realizes it too.

Breakfast is a quick affair. She eats in a hurry, eager to get back to some semblance of privacy where they can talk without censoring their conversation for the inevitable eavesdroppers at surrounding tables. Her cheeks are stained a perpetual pink, and he wonders if she's nervous. Every once and a while, she blush a deeper red as he intricately studies the motions of her hands or the way she chews her food.

After breakfast, she offers to drive him back to the hospital to grab his Volvo, but he declines. He'd rather not part from her at the moment. A sense of release passes through him upon entering her apartment, and he thinks it has something to do with the way her scent clings to everything in it.

She decides to take a shower, saying she'd been in such a hurry this morning to meet him that she'd had no time. She promises to be quick, and he makes himself comfortable in the living room, looking through books—some he recognized and some he didn't.

He notices the blinking light on the answering machine, and before he can classify the decision as not altogether wise, he has pressed the button.

There is a moment of silence before a deep voice fills the room, and he knows by pure instinct to whom the voice belongs.

"Hey Bells, it's me. Listen, I know you told me it was nothing, but I have to know why you asked about those blo—the Cullens. I, uh, heard this week that one of them is living up in Seattle now, and I want you to be careful. It wouldn't surprise me at all to know that you'd somehow managed to run into him, what with your luck with danger and all. But in all seriousness, give me a call back. If I don't hear from you in a few days, I'll be worried. We'll all be worried, Bells, the whole pack. Love you and I miss you. Bye."

He freezes upon hearing the last words. She'd said that this Jake was only a friend right? His vampire memory wasn't failing him? He hadn't been hoping so hard to hear friend that his vampire hearing had missed the word 'boy' preceding the word 'friend'?

His hand seems to move of his own accord, and before he can stop himself he's pushed the delete button. The droll recording declares that the message has been deleted and that there are no more new messages.

Panicked, he immediately tries to see if there is some way to restore the message. Christ, what had he been thinking? He hadn't… that was exactly it. He just hadn't liked the sadness that had infiltrated the wolf's tone when he declared his love for Bella, and he just reacted.

He wonders if he should tell her. He could say that the call had come while she'd been in the shower, and he'd simply taken a message, promising to have her call back. But then if she did call back, would she heed Jacob's advice and stay away from him? She should. And he should want her to, but he doesn't, and he isn't sure he'll ever want her to stay away from him.

Before he can make a decision the bathroom door opens and he's struck by a new wave of her distinct scent and the rich strawberry shampoo she uses on her hair. The hallway and her bedroom are dark, and she's standing so far away that any normal person wouldn't even be able to see anything more than her silhouette. But he's not normal, and even from this distance he can see the little water droplets clinging to her shoulders and the others that are slinking their way down her chest until they disappear beneath her towel.

He shakes his head forcefully, pinching the bridge of his nose in a form of reprimand, and is grateful when he hears the click of her door closing down the hall. She is too tempting for her own good, and perhaps he sees a little too well for the good of both of them.

He knows it's inappropriate, but his mind can't help but wander back to the gentle slope of her shoulders and the long column of her neck. He remembers the times that his lips have grazed that very skin, and suddenly the two images meld together and he's kissing away the droplets of water that he finds there.

He's ripped from his daydream by the reopening of her door. She emerges again in the same cobalt blue dress from earlier, her hair hanging straight in front of her shoulders, leaving small wet marks on her dress, but she doesn't seem to care.

He moves to sit on the couch, and she snuggles up beside him. Her brushes against his shoulder as she gets settled and he breathes for the first time.

She looks up sharply at his groan, her gaze questioning.

He wraps an arm around her shoulder, pulling her tighter to him, and breathes, "You smell so good right now."

She gives a quirky grin, "In a good way or a bad way?"

The image returns of himself kissing along silky damp skin of her neck with nothing but a towel separating them, and he answers, "Both… always both."

She leans into his chest, and the weight and warmth of her body against his is exquisite. He takes her chin with two fingers and tilts her face up towards him. He looks into her deep brown eyes, knowing that he could study them for an eternity, and Bella Swan would still remain a mystery to him. She leans forward and brushes her lips against his lightly, and it feels better than he can describe.

Like the first shred of warmth after a long winter.

Like the sun's first peek over a darkened horizon.

Like coming home.

That thought tingles through him and a moment later his cell phone vibrates, and he doesn't have to look at the caller I.D. to know who it is. The phone continues to ring persistently, but he doesn't answer. He can't, not yet.

"Bella." He begins, "How would you feel about meeting my family this weekend? In Forks?"

She looks apprehensive for a moment, and he wonders if he's moving too quickly. He doesn't exactly have immense experience in the art of dating, but he'd thought they were hitting it off so well.

"You don't have to, really." He supplies, "It was just a thought. A silly thought. I apologize." Why would she want to spend a weekend in a house full of vampires anyway?

"It isn't silly." She smiles sadly. "I just… you want me to meet your family?"

"I know. I wasn't thinking, Bella. I'm so sorry."

Her face falls, and he tries to decipher the look in her eyes. His phone begins to ring again, and he quickly presses the ignore button.

"I know you're comfortable around me, but I can't expect you to endure the company of an entire family of vampires."

She freezes for a moment, and he wonders if the word still makes her uncomfortable.

"Vampires? You thought I was wary because of a few vampires?"

He pauses, unsure of his reply. Her eyes are wide and her jaw set tightly.

"Haven't you realized by now Edward Cullen that things like that don't scare me?"

"Then what does scare you?"

She rolls her eyes, and looks at him as though the answer is the most obvious thing in the world, but he can't for the life of him guess at the thoughts running through her head.

"It's your family, Edward! You're not supposed to just spring something like that on me! I need time to prepare! I need to know all of their names, what to say, what not to say, what to wear! Jesus, what do vampires wear when they're not pretending to be human?"

He stares at her in wonder and then chuckles happily.

"Clothes, Bella. Vampires wear clothes."

Her jaw snaps shut, and sighs in exasperation.

"What if they don't like me Edward?"

Her expression is fearful, and he quickly pulls her against his chest.

"Haven't you realized by now Isabella Swan," he mimics her earlier statement, "That there is absolutely nothing about you to dislike?"

He places a gentle kiss on her temple and whispers, "You're stunning."

Another kiss, this time on her cheek.

"You're smart."

Her nose.

"You're kind."

Her jaw.

"You're brave."

Her neck.

"And as usual, absolutely absurd." He manages to drop one last kiss on her collar bone before she pushes him away playfully.

"In a good way!" He chuckles.

She folds her arms across her chest stubbornly, and his phone vibrates for the third time.

"Are you still afraid of meeting my family?"

She pouts angrily, " I didn't say I was afraid."

"My mistake. Are you still wary of being introduced to the most important people in my life, other than yourself?"

"Yes."

He sighs, and leans close, his breath mingling with hers.

"What about now?"

"Maybe."

He catches her bottom lip between his own and trails his tongue across it teasingly, tasting her for the first time.

"Now?"

She hesitates.

"What was the question?"

He chuckles, kissing her once more, before answering, "Come to Forks with me. Meet my family."

"That's not a question." She replies breathlessly.

"That's because I refuse to let you say no. They'll love you, Bella."

"You promise?"

His phone rings for the fourth time, and he flips it open quickly, "Why don't we find out for sure?"

He presses the phone to her ear, only for her to wince away when an excited shriek comes blasting through the earpiece.

"What is that?" She cries, a hand covering her ear, and her face screwed up in a grimace.

"That, my love, is a vampire, who is quite excited to meet you."


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N: Thank you all so much for your reviews last chapter! They were so very encouraging! Some of you mentioned reading some of my original work, and while I'm not quite ready to let people read any of my current stuff, I do have a story posted on fictionpress that was written with my very best friend. If anyone is interested in reading that, just let me know. And I'm sorry to say that the story isn't finished yet, and I can't promise that it will be, but if you would like to read it, just let me know. **

**Of Curses and Cures**

_Chapter Ten_

_Early Morning, December 10__th__, 2008_

He stays late into the night, and there is a buoyancy in his chest at the thought of going home to Carlisle and the others, and taking Bella with him. There remains the small matter of the message from her werewolf friend, but his mind easily glosses over that unwelcome thought, as excitement fills him to the brim. The sun will be coming out today. His keen eyes can see the beginnings of it in the distance.

She sighs his name in her sleep, and he considers staying beside her, forsaking his duties at work. But he glances back out of the window, the sun threatening in the distance, and knows that he can't. He leans down to her, brushing his knuckles across the crest of her soft cheek. He breathes in her unique scent, the venom pooling as always in his mouth, and he swallows it back.

Just then she rolls in her sleep, throwing the covers off in the process. Her t-shirt is twisted around her middle, baring several inches of skin before the beginning of her shorts, which have also ridden up, exposing her long legs to his sight. He turns away abruptly, out of habit, more than actual intent.

"Edward."

She sighs, and he thinks that she's still dreaming. But when he turns back to her, deep brown eyes meet his darkened ocher .

"You're leaving?"

He nods stiffly, trying to keep his eyes from wondering again to the snowy skin of her abdomen, but she makes it terribly hard. She takes hold of his hand, pulling him down onto the edge of the bed. He could have resisted, of course, her physical strength nowhere near his own. But concerning Bella, he has never felt weaker, more unable to resist.

"Stay with me."

She coaxes him closer, helping him to stretch out beside her.

He instinctually wraps his arm around her middle, jumping slightly when his cold hand meets the warm flesh of her lower back. She doesn't flinch away, only leans closer, and he finds himself unable to remove his hand.

Her delicate fingers are tracing invisible patterns on his neck, her breath fanning across his ear, and one of her legs lying nearly on top of his own.

She kisses the edge of his chin, and it's easy to forget the venom coating his tongue, and much harder to ignore the warmth of her leg against his own.

Innocently, she scoots closer to him, tilting her hips against his own in the process, and he stifles a groan. He can tell by the unceasing movements of her fingers, that she hasn't a clue of her effect on him.

"I have to go to work."

She wraps her arms tighter around him, in stubborn resolve, again causing her pelvis to press against his own, and this time he can't stop the groan before it's out of his mouth.

She freezes momentarily, as if gauging what she's done wrong.

But he knows that it is not the monster in him that she has resurrected with her movements, but something else entirely—something even more unfamiliar and fearsome.

She seems to realize this, too, grinning slightly, before pressing her chest against his own with more purpose.

He sucks in a breath, and runs his hands from the small of her back to her shoulders, preparing to push her an arm's length away. But at his touch, she moans quietly, and his hands suddenly rebel pulling her closer, rather than pushing her away.

She drapes a leg across his waist, pushing her hips against his again, all her previous innocence gone to be replaced by the passionate siren before him.

"Don't go." She whispers, her lips moving gently against the skin of his neck. "Stay."

And he almost does.

Almost.

Some vestiges of his reason remain, and he manages to pull away from her long enough to clear his head.

"I have another forty-eight hour shift, but then we'll be spending the whole weekend together, I promise."

"Right." She groans, "With your family."

"I don't know why you're so worried."

"It's a nerve-wrecking experience, Edward… meeting the parents is a big deal. And if this were a normal situation, I could at least bake them cookies or cook a meal to impress them, but this is different. I can't exactly stop off at the zoo and pick up a rare breed of zebra for dinner."

"Funny." He replies sarcastically.

"I'm trying to ease the anxiety of the situation with humor, give me a break."

"I know another way to ease that anxiety." He whispers, leaning down to press a heated kiss to her lips.

Her lips part beneath his own, their breath mingling.

"You are okay with this though, right? Going back to Forks with me?"

She leans into his touch and smiles, "Of course. I'm just nervous. It's about time that I made some new memories in Forks… good ones at that."

"I'd be much obliged to help you with that, miss." He grins.

"I'd be ever so pleased, sir, to let you help me make a few other memories as well."

His eyes are again drawn to her long, ivory legs, and he backs away before his body can make his decision for him.

Her face is the picture of innocence, but his ears detect the spike in her heartbeat. He shakes his head, "You're irresistible, Isabella Swan." He says while moving towards her window.

He grins crookedly, blows her a kiss, and then is gone moments before the sun breaks through the clouds on the horizon.

From the end of the block, he catches her voice on the wind saying, "Apparently not that irresistible."

He chuckles, darting into the shadows between houses to avoid the early morning sun, thinking, 'If she only knew.'

_December 12__th__, 2008_

He doesn't need to pack, for many of his things remain in Forks still. And even if they didn't, Alice would welcome the opportunity to buy him a whole new wardrobe. But he sits on Bella's bed, watching as she worries her lip between her teeth, while mentally debating the pros and cons of certain outfits.

"I've never known you to be so slow." He sighs, glancing at his watch for the third time.

"I thought living over a hundred years was supposed to make you patient?" She grins.

He sighs mockingly, before throwing himself back on the pillows. "I suppose your right, we're not in any hurry." He opens his arms to her and she gladly sinks into his embrace. "Though it did take a lot of favors to get this entire weekend off, so it might be nice to spend at least some of it in Forks."

She snuggles closer to him, pressing her warm nose into the cool skin of his neck.

"Or," she begins, her lips brushing his skin as she speaks, "We could spend the whole weekend just like this."

"Mmm… tempting." His hands dance across the expanse of her back before settling just above the curve of her bottom, "But no." He gives her a playful squeeze, but isn't prepared for her reaction.

She throws a leg over him, straddling his hips, their bodies perfectly aligned. "Is this more tempting?" she asks, nipping gently at his marble lips.

Warmth seeps into every part of him where they touch, and it is a struggle to keep his mind focused. Where were they going this weekend again? Why _couldn't_ they just stay like this? He can't resist when her lips touch his again, and this time he reciprocates. Her arms are propped up on either side of him like a soft, warm, entirely breakable cage. Her kisses become more forceful, her tongue darting out, attempting to pry through the seam of his lips.

He moves his hands to her hips, picking her up quickly and moving her onto the bed beside him. She groans in disappointment, screwing her eyes shut tight, as he leaps up from the bed. He flees to her closet, grabbing a few of outfits that he's seen her wear, most of them blue, and throwing them quickly in her bag. By the time she opens her eyes, he has her fully packed, including her "human" products.

She rolls onto her side, props her head up on her hand, and regards him carefully. Her cheeks are red and her breathing still slightly labored. He wonders if he should say something now, set the boundaries before they find themselves flirting with the edge of disaster once again. But he finds himself far too anxious to feel her warm body aligned once more with his own. So he doesn't say anything, vowing to himself that he will say something soon.

_Mid-afternoon, December 12__th__, 2008_

He drives around twenty miles-per-hour over the speed limit to appease Bella. Normally he drives at least thirty or forty. The trip takes him thirty-minutes longer than usual, but by mid-afternoon, they are parked outside his large white house, and Bella has a small smile on her face. He remembers that this place is familiar to her, too.

"It looks so different now. So… lived in. I can't believe this place gave me nightmares." She whispers.

"Nightmares?" He chuckles. He takes her small warm hand in his own, and smiles, "The house gives you nightmares, but the vampires inside it… no problem."

She raises her chin defiantly, and sticks her tongue out in response. It is small and pink, and he remembers the way she teases his lips in an attempt to get him to open his mouth when they kiss. He averts his eyes quickly, and spies Alice watching out of the living room window.

He sighs and turns back to Bella.

"You ready?"

She bites her lip in worry, shaking her head. She grabs onto his arms, her dainty fingers unable to close fully around his forearms, and pulls him forwards. She pushes her lips hard against his own. He can tell she's shaking, and he wraps his arm around her, rubbing smooth circle into her back. A quick succession of needy kisses follow, before she smiles.

"Now I'm ready."

His hand swallows hers as they make the trek to the front door. It's hard to move at human speed. He has missed this place deeply. Something swells in his chest, filling a hole that he hadn't realized was there. It is he who hesitates at the bottom of the stairs, and Bella provides comfort. Wordlessly, she squeezes his hand tighter, and pulls him up the steps. He hasn't told her that it's been weeks since he's been home to Forks, not since the first day he met her in fact, and he hopes that his family doesn't say anything. He fears that she'll be disappointed. It seems a silly reason now to isolate himself from his family.

He is reaching for the door handle, when it opens quickly, and a small, hard form collides with his own, black, spiky hair filling his vision.

"I've missed you too, Alice."

She holds on for a moment, her grip almost uncomfortably tight, before she steps backwards, and seems to remember Bella's presence.

"Oh Bella!" She cries, launching forward and placing a kiss on her cheek. "I thought I was never going to get to meet you! You don't know how close I was to coming to Seattle and dragging the two of you back for a visit!"

There is already a blush on Bella's cheek, and he's given up on trying to figure out the reason this time.

He takes her hand and leads her through the doorway, "Let's greet the rest of the family, then."

At his mention of family, five others appear quickly in a semi-circle in front of them. Alice moves to stand by Jasper's side, an excited bounce still in her step.

"I'd like you all to meet Bella. Bella this is my family."

Carlisle steps forward carefully, smiling as he says, "It's nice to finally meet you, Bella. We've heard so much about you."

Bella shoots Edward a wary glance, but he holds his hands up in a show of innocence, looking quickly to Alice, who wears a decidedly guilty expression.

"I'm Carlisle, the father-of-sorts of our little family. This is my wife, Esme. You've met Alice, it seems, and this is her husband Jasper. And these are Emmett and his wife Rosalie."

Bella looks slightly awestruck, and it takes her a moment to speak.

"It's wonderful to be here. Your home is almost as gorgeous as all of you."

She blushes immediately after her comment, and the entire group laughs.

Carlisle ushers them into the living room, insisting that Edward and Bella take a seat on the loveseat. Jasper hangs back a bit, and Edward, though he trusts his brother, is glad for it.

Esme smiles warmly, "How was your trip?"

"Good." Bella smiles wanly,"It went by quickly." She glares momentarily at Edward, and Emmett lets out a raucous laugh.

"You must be tired after your trip!" Alice cries, "Are you hungry? Thirsty? We bought tons of groceries, and I've always wanted to try cooking!"

Bella looks a bit overwhelmed, so Edward answers for her. "Just some water would probably work Alice, she ate before we left."

Bella nods gratefully, and Edward wraps his arm around her, pulling her closer to his side. He hears the others slip quietly from the room, and he presses his face into her neck.

"So this is where you live?" She asks in awe, examining the glass wall at the back of the house.

"Where I _lived_." He corrects. "I live in Seattle now."

She peers at him peculiarly, "Speaking of which… I've never even seen where you live in Seattle."

He shifts uncomfortably. "There's not much to it. It's not as though I sleep. I really only use it as a place to shower. I spend the majority of time at the hospital and with you. It's not even decorated… no furniture, nothing."

"What about before us? Did you just stay in your empty house then?"

He glances away, clenching his jaw. "I, well, I had never really intended to live there. It was only to have a local address for paperwork purposes. I had intended to just return home to here when I was off. It's a fairly quick run for me."

"Intended?" She prompts.

He sighs wearily, "I decided to stay there permanently after that first time I met you."

Her jaw drops, "But why?"

He rolls his neck, trying to relieve the sudden stiffness he feels. He can't hear any of his family members, which means they are most assuredly listening. He supposes it's time for an explanation, to all of them.

"I've told you how difficult that first time was for me… how you affected me. I was ashamed, Bella. I've never hated my nature more or felt guilty for the monster I am. I wanted to crawl into some hole and wait out my unending existence. The last thing I wanted to do was crawl back here, guilty and a failure."

Her eyes are wide and her mouth open in surprise. "You mean… you left your family because of me?"

He pauses a moment before nodding.

"Oh!" She cries, "They must hate me! They haven't seen you in weeks and it's entirely my fault! I just knew this would go horribly, I mess up everything!"

"Don't be ridiculous, Bella." He says, cradling her face in his hands, forcing her to meet his eyes.

"First, you can in no way help the way you appeal to me. And secondly, I wouldn't change anything. I'm here now, that's what matters. And I've never been happier than I am in this moment."

She regards him warily for a moment, before leaning forwards to place a soft kiss on his mouth.

He grins, "I take it back." He whispers between kisses, "This is now my happiest moment."

He is leaning in for another kiss, when Alice appears in the doorway, carrying an assortment of nearly a dozen different kinds of bottled water.

"It's been so long since I've had water, I wasn't sure if one kind was better than another, or if you had a preference." She sets the tray on the coffee table in front of Bella.

Horror crosses her face and she immediately blushes. "Really, this wasn't at all necessary. Tap water would have been fine."

Edward chuckles happily, grabbing a bottle of Evian, and handing it to Bella. "With Alice, fine is never enough. She has to go above and beyond."

"You're one to talk, Mr. I-can-do-absolutely-everything." Bella laughs.

Alice smiles at her, "So he told you about the piano, did he?"

"Piano?" Bella cries exasperatedly, "You play the piano _too?_ What don't you do?"

"Sleep, eat human food." He answers playfully.

"You didn't tell her?" Alice asks in surprise.

"I haven't really had much opportunity to play since I've been in Seattle."

"Then play for me now." Bella requests, rising and moving towards the beautiful piano situated on the other side of the room."

He sighs, but the idea is incredibly appealing. He's been desperate to play for weeks, but didn't have a piano with him in Seattle. He had considering buying one at one point, but then he spent more and more time at Bella's and the idea was quickly forgotten. But he'd had new melodies floating through his mind constantly since she entered his life. He settles himself onto the bench, and Bella places an elbow on top of the instrument, laying her cheek in her hand to watch him.

His eyes never leave hers as his fingers play, weaving a melody that has been haunting his thoughts, but has yet to see the light of day. He watches a small tear for in the corner of her eye, and the melody changes of its own accord. The notes are smooth, and he pours everything about their relationship into the music—the immense joy, the stressful challenges, the hope.

_So much hope._

He ends the song softly when he notices that tears are streaming steadily down Bella's face. He's around the piano in less than a second, cradling her against his chest.

A throat clears behind them, and they turn to see Carlisle standing in the doorway, smiling.

"And that Bella is why you will always be welcome here. Anyone who inspires _that_ is welcome in our family."

Bella gives a small hiccup-like laugh through her tears, and Edward strokes the back of her neck with his fingers.

"You better hang on to her, Edward." Esme whispers from behind Carlisle.

"Yeah! Don't screw it up, Brother!" Emmett yells from the kitchen.

Edward looks at Bella, standing in his house, with his family, and feels at home. He's never agreed with Emmett more.


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N: Hello everyone! I know it's been a little while, but the good news is… it's summer! So there will be much more time to write! And I'll have even more time to write this fic in a little while, because my hp fanfic only has two chapter left until it's finished! **

**Also… I did a bit of editing in the first chapter. When I wrote the first chapter, I included Mike Newton as an intern and Jessica as another employee in the hospital. Then I decided to make the story more true to the books, and included a mention of Mike again in a later chapter but in reference to Forks. So… that has been changed. But Angela and Ben will remain in Seattle as friends with Bella who would not know Edward from Forks. I know, it's confusing. But all I can say is that it is an Alternate Universe, so things will be slightly different. **

**So… summary Mike and Jessica still from Forks. Angela and Ben live in Seattle and are not from Forks.**

**Now… Accio Chapter!**

_Of Curses and Cures_

_Chapter Eleven_

_The Loudest Silence_

_December 13__th__, 2008_

_6:00 A.M._

It's one of those rare moments when he can't find the guilt that follows his every move. It is normally always there lying dormant beneath the surface of his marble skin. But when the sunlight creeps through the window pane, throwing prisms of light on the back of her long neck, he forgets to remember that he should have died in 1918. He forgets that for much of his very long life he has secretly wished that he'd never left that hospital bed in Chicago.

And he remembers how to live.

Maybe it doesn't matter that there's decades of difference in their ages, that her skin is unusually breakable, and his is the exact opposite.

Maybe it only matters that he's breathing and she's breathing, too.

That they're breathing here together in a bed Alice bought, in a vampire house where no one sleeps, and she keeps mumbling about ticklish radishes in her dreams.

_December 13__th__, 2008_

_9:00 A.M._

He has his eyes closed, trying to remember what it was like to dream when he hears the subtle shallowing of Bella's breathing that means he's about to see those brown eyes—the only thing that can make his perfect vampiric memory fail.

"Mmmm… G'morning." She yawns, clenching her fists and stretching her limbs.

"That it is." He smiles, catching her left arm and placing a small kiss on the inside of her wrist.

Her heart skips a beat.

"No fair." She laughs, "You have to give my heart a chance to wake up before you do that."

He releases her hand, grinning crookedly, and rolling off the bed.

"I guess I'll give you some time to wake up then."

He turns around slowly, allowing her to seize his wrist like he knows she will.

"I think I've had enough time."She gives a careful tug, not nearly enough to move him, but he follows anyway. He flies toward her, using his arms to brace himself so as not to crush her, he rolls landing on the opposite side of the bed facing her.

"When did you get so strong?" He smirks.

"Around the same time I stopped being clumsy."

"Oh. So, never then?"

"Hysterical, vampire boy."

He grimaces, before giving a small chuckle. "Let's not make that nickname a habit."

She laughs, and touches a finger to his nose before laying her palm on his cold cheek. "Not too fond of it?"

He pulls her close. "I'm fond of you."

"Me too, if by fond you mean unconditionally and irrevocably in love, then yes… I'm quite fond of you."

He presses his face into her neck, enjoying the way her warmth seeps into his skin. He places a lingering kiss on her collar bone and replies, "Of course. That is the dictionary definition of fond, correct? I could always check you know, I think we have around thirty dictionaries in the house, including a first edition Webster, not to mention encyclopedias from at least five centuries."

She wraps her arms around his midsection tightly, threading her fingers together, unwilling to let him go.

"I think I'll take your word for it."

He leans forward to place a chaste kiss on her lips, unprepared for her reaction. As soon as his lips touch hers, he feels the spark that occasionally accompanies their caresses, and she pushes her lips harder against his. He returns the kiss, cradling the back of her neck, trying to keep his touch as light as possible.

She shivers and her breath fans across his lips. Her hand snakes its way across his shoulders to tangle in his hair and he pulls away. It's getting harder and harder to draw the line.

She smiles impishly, but unwinds her hands.

He takes a deep breath before asking, "So what would you like to do today?"

"I was thinking I could get to know your family a bit better. And then you could meet mine?" She pauses, and it takes a moment before she can meet his eyes.

Confusion flickers on his face.

"I'd like you to meet my Dad." She whispers.

"I would love that."

_December 13__th__, 2008_

_3:00 P.M._

The morning spent with Edward's family passed quickly. Bella seemed at ease, making conversation with Esme and his brothers and sisters. She held her own against Alice, managing to escape after trying on only two outfits. She did, however, trip during her escape, which provided sufficient entertainment for Emmett, who asked if he could refer to her fondly as his "pet human." Edward had glared, but Bella found the idea hilarious. The pet human had then watched what Jasper and Emmett had determined Extreme Wii. They would challenge each other to multitask—simultaneously playing video games and performing bizarre tricks, like balancing upside down on one hand. Bella's jaw stayed dropped during the entirety of the game.

She had seemed so happy, and he couldn't help the hopeful imaginings of an eternity with both Bella and his family. He tried not to think of that, knowing that she deserved better, but sometimes it was so hard not to be selfish.

But now those blissful moments with his family had passed, and he's holding her hand as she opens the gate to the Forks Cemetery, and the look on her face squashes every selfish desire in him.

She looks terrified, small tears clinging to her lashes, shattering her seemingly strong demeanor. She walks slowly, even slower than her normal human pace. The day is overcast, gray clouds brewing on the horizon.

"I'm scared."

He doesn't know exactly what to say, so he says, "I know."

She pauses, her small feet swallowed by a patch of overgrown grass, and her tiny form teeters slightly in anticipation.

She squeezes his hand, gaining her own reassurance from his, and moves forward. The graveyard is surprisingly large considering the size of the town. Edward wonders if there are more people buried beneath the earth in this town than people actually walking on it.

She hesitates and looks around, searching. She walks past four rows, pauses, and then walks past another four. She looks backward, as though counting, and then moves down the closest row. Edward follows close behind, and they pass eleven gravestones before Bella slows.

They pass three more before Bella stops. Her hand is slick with sweat in his and her grip falters. He pulls her against his chest instead, and she relaxes minutely against him.

"Edward." She whispers.

He tightens his arm around her.

"This is my Dad, Charlie."

"Charlie," her voice cracks with emotion, "I'd like you to meet _my_ Edward."

She lasts a few more moments, and then releases a strangled sob. He sinks his hand into her hair, holding her cheek tight against his cold chest.

"I love you. I'm so proud of you." He whispers, "Your Dad would be so proud, too."

"I know. And he would have loved you."

She continues crying, and the words won't quite come through the tears. But the silence is enough. Holding her is enough. Loving her is more than enough.


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N: Sorry for the wait everyone. I've hit a bit of writer's block. You know when you feel that impulse in you to write and you crave it, but it just won't come. I'm feeling that right now with two fanfics and my original work. It's quite frustrating really. I can't sleep at night, because my body is telling me to write, but my mind won't cooperate. **

**Anyway, enough complaints. **

**Of Curses and Cures**

**Chapter Twelve**

_The Meadow_

_December 14__th__, 2008_

_8:00 A.M._

He doesn't think he'll ever get used to spending the night with Bella in his arms. And it feels immensely more intimate here, in his home, in his room. She is sleeping soundly when his mother calls to him from downstairs.

He carefully removes his arm, and lays her gently against the mattress. He kisses her forehead and whispers, "I'll be back, my love."

He is perfectly silent as he opens and closes the door, and flies down the stairs as quickly as he can.

Esme is dusting and has a ladder opened beside her.

"Yes, Esme?"

She smiles kindly and gives him a hug. Her thoughts tell him what she wants a moment before she can.

He laughs, "You need help reaching some places?"

"Yes, dear, do you mind?" He can't remember much about his own mother, but every time he imagines her, she has Esme's warm voice.

"Not at all, Mom."

He scales the ladder quickly and then holds his hand out for the duster. He reaches his long arms out, dusting in the corner of the ceiling, and along the seams.

"Bella seems wonderful, Edward."

"She is, Mom. I told her I love her."

She smiles widely. "I was wondering if you had. I mean, it's quite obvious. But it's always nice to hear the words."

"Did I mention that she's been here before? To the house?"

"You didn't."

He is already finished, and he descends the ladder easily.

"It was with those werewolf friends of hers. I'm sure Alice told you all."

"She did."

He casually dusts around him as he speaks, to keep his hands busy.

"It was before we moved back here, and before her friends technically became werewolves, so the treaty can't really be considered broken, but she dreamed about it the night before we came here. She talks in her sleep." He adds.

"I heard."

They laugh.

"She'd probably be mortified if she knew you all could hear her."

"It's sweet. I'm sure it's quite the ego boost for you, as well."

He laughs, knowing that he'd be blushing if he could. "To be honest with you. It's one of the things that has kept me from leaving. Nothing makes me happier than to hear her say my name. I'm not sure anyone's ever said my name the way she says it. I know that I should leave, it would be better for her in the long run. But I just can't."

He is so caught up in his explanation, in his emotions that he doesn't hear Bella rise from bed and pad her way into the hallway. He does however hear her heartbeat pick up, and a second later hears Rosalie's thoughts.

"Rosalie…" He growls.

He flies up the stairs and sees the two of them, Rosalie standing in front of the bathroom door that he assumes Bella was heading towards. He growls, and Rosalie shoots him a withering glare before she disappears into her and Emmett's room. He knows Rosalie's thoughts towards Bella and had been doing his best to keep the two of them separated.

He pulls Bella tight against his chest, and she immediately breathes a sigh of relief.

"I don't know… I don't understand." She whispers.

He runs a hand through her hair, soothing her.

"Sshh… Don't worry about Rosalie. She'll come around."

He hears Rosalie scoff from inside her room, and is glad Bella has only human hearing.

"She's just a little _stubborn_ is all." He stresses the word, knowing Rosalie can hear him.

He opens the bathroom door, ushering her inside, but she holds tight to his hand when he tries to leave.

"I just need to wash my face. Will you stay?"

He places a kiss on her cheek and nods.

He speaks as she freshens up.

"She doesn't mean any harm, Bella. She just sees things a little bit differently than the rest of us. She actually thinks she's looking out for your best interests. She just has a different way of showing it."

He watches Bella pull her hair into a ponytail, seeing the barest sliver of skin between her top and bottoms.

"How so?"

"She thinks you being here is dangerous. Which I am partially inclined to agree with."

She glares at him, so he moves in a different direction.

"But more specifically, she is jealous of your humanity, and thinks you're wasting it by being with me."

"She what?" He's never heard Bella come so close to yelling, and he immediately moves to place a hand on her shoulder.

She shakes him off, "You don't agree do you? Edward Cullen, if you think I'm wasting anything by being with you, you are severely mistaken. I would trade a dozen lifetimes just to spend the day with you."

"You're exaggerating.**"**

"Try me." She hissed.

"You don't know what you're talking about. You haven't lived long enough to be able to say what is worth a lifetime and what isn't."

This conversation isn't turning out at all how he had planned.

"Maybe not. But I've lived long enough to know the difference between happiness and unhappiness. And I've been with you long enough to know that I've never felt more of the former than when I'm with you, and more of the latter when you're gone. Most people spend their lives searching for happiness. And I've found it. And I'm keeping you, no matter what you think."

He laughs and nuzzles his nose into the crook of her neck.

"Relax, spider monkey. You've got me for as long as you can stand me."

"Good." She smiled. "Because I'm stubborn. Don't think I won't find some vampire-proof rope and tie you up to keep you from getting away."

"Tie me up, eh?"

She laughs. "That's the part you choose to comment on, not the vampire proof rope?"

He rolls his eyes playfully. "I'm a guy, Bella."

"Really?" She questions, "I hadn't noticed."

"Who knew you were so funny, Isabella Swan."

"Who knew you were a man?"

They both hear Emmett's laugh from the next room. Edward growls playfully and picks her up by the waist, and he throws her over his shoulder.

"Edward!" She squeals, "What are you doing?"

"Why, my dear, I'm showing you exactly how manly I can be."

He sprints down the stairs, and she screams. She's hanging upside down over his shoulder, and she wraps her arms tightly around his midsection.

He speeds through the back door, and suddenly they are passing dozens of trees every second.

"I am so going to kill you, Edward Cullen."

"With what kind of weapon? Something you got from the same place that sold you Vampire-proof rope?"

She screams as he jumps over a river in one leap, and he laughs, "Close your eyes if it scares you."

"You are in so much trouble! You are going to be so sorry!" She yells.

"I'll make it up to you. It will be worth it I promise."

A few more seconds pass, and then he comes to a quick halt.

"Are we stopped?" She asks warily.

He smiles wickedly, and squeezes her leg tightly before releasing her completely. She panics as she feels herself falling from his grip, but in less than a second he spins around and catches her.

Her head is even with his knees. Angrily, she punches him in the thigh, and then groans in response. He flips her upright.

Her eyes are shut tight, her hair is windblown and she's holding her fist against her chest.

"Didn't your mother ever tell you not to punch a Vampire?"

"Yeah, well, a normal person wouldn't think it a good idea to kiss a Vampire either, and I don't seem to have a problem with that."

"No you don't." He whispers, leaning forward.

She pushes a hand in his face, "Oh no you don't. No kissing for you. I told you that you'd be sorry, and I meant it."

He grins and takes her hand, checking it for any injuries. Finding none, he pulls her forward through a set of trees.

"Perhaps you'll forgive me after I show you your surprise."

"Not likely." She grumbles, "I hate surprises."

He steps out from the trees, feeling the sunlight hit his face and waits for her to follow.

She does, her eyes cast down towards her feet grumpily.

"Look at me, Bella."

She complies with his request and then gasps.

They are surrounded by a large meadow, perfectly round with lush, green grass. There are sprinklings of wildflowers across the area, and he watches her eyes scan the whole space.

"Edward, it's beautiful."

She reaches a hand up, tracing the contours of his sparkling skin as though it were the first time.

He locks his gaze on her, looking deep into her eyes.

"Am I forgiven?"

She leans forward unknowingly, swaying against him, and then whispers, "Not even close."

It takes a moment for him to register her words, and then she's out of his arms, racing across the meadow, bubbling laughter following behind her.

He smiles and then takes off after her, running at a human pace to tease her. He catches up and stays at her heels, reaching out to tickle her sides as she runs.

"Stop!" She laughs, trying to dodge him.

As always, she surprises him when she stops and turns around to face him. He notices too late, and they topple to the ground. He is careful to cage her in his arms to keep her from getting injured. He flips them midair, so that he hits the ground first instead of her.

"That was all your fault." She laughs against his chest.

"My fault?" He cries, "Who is the more coordinated one out of the two of us?"

She scoffs, "Me, clearly."

He puts a finger beneath her chin and raises her face to his. He intends to fix her with a playful glare, but then he feels her sweet breath against his face, and his eyes are immediately drawn to her lips.

"Is there still a rule about not kissing Vampires?"

His voice is husky, and he feels her shiver against him.

"Definitely. Absolutely no kissing vampires. I hear it's hazardous to your health."

His fingers dance down her spine, and he leans his face closer to hers.

"Are you sure?"

He breathes against her lips, and watches as her eyes cloud over with desire.

"Yes." She gasps.

He leans his forehead against hers, focusing his eyes on her in his best attempt to dazzle.

"Positive?"

"Maybe."

His lips are so close to hers that he can practically taste her.

"So there's no way I can change your mind?"

He runs a hand down to her hip, and pulls her flush against him.

She blinks, her breath coming quicker now.

She groans and whispers, "I hate you," before crushing her lips to his.

He returns the kiss, and then smiles in victory.

"Don't be so smug." She berates him, "Maybe I'll find that rope I was talking about and tie you to one of these trees and leave you here."

He laughs, "You think a tree could keep me here?"

She pouts, "I'd find a really big one."

He grins crookedly, and then rolls, trapping her beneath him.

"You'd have to catch me first."

She tangles a hand in his hair and pulls him close.

"Not catch you. Just distract you for a bit."

"And how would you do that?"

She brushes her lips lightly against his chin.

"Oh I don't know."

She moves her lips to his cheek.

"I'm sure I'd think of something."

Finally, she touches her lips to his. He returns the kiss eagerly, greedily taking in as much of her as he can. Her hands burrow deeper into his hair and he groans. She smiles in response, and wraps a leg around his hip.

It is times like these that makes him glad he doesn't have a working heart, because she could surely make it stop working.

She pushes her hips up and against him, and he can't help the growl deep in his chest.

"I love you, Edward."

"I love you, too Bella."

She smiles and he can see the happiness in her eyes. Perhaps, she is right. Maybe she isn't better off without him.

He begins laying kisses down the column of her neck, even allowing his tongue to dart out briefly to taste her skin. She moans and it sounds like music to him.

Her hand trails down his chest to the top of his pants and she flicks the button open. His eyes open wide, and in a second he's across the meadow in the shades of the trees.

Her heartbeat stutters, and she sits up slowly, unsure.

"Did I—Did I do something wrong?" She whispers.

He isn't sure what to say. It isn't her blood that is causing him problems now. She resurrects the man in him, and he isn't sure how to tell her that they can't be together that way. He can't risk hurting her.

The man in him wants the woman in her more than anything he's ever wanted in his life. But he can't give her that. Will she still want him if he can't offer her that kind of intimacy? Can he expect her to spend her whole life with him and never know that kind of love?

He has to tell her, but he can't bring himself to do it now. He walks back into the meadow, apologizes, and sits back down beside her. As always, she takes everything coolly, and his retreat doesn't even faze her.

When she leans in for another kiss, he obliges. He pulls back before things can go too far.

"We should probably be heading home, right?" She asks.

Hearing her call his house 'home' sends an immense feeling of joy through him.

He nods and offers her his hand, "Let's go home."


	13. Chapter 13

**A/N: Hello all! Well, here is the next chapter! Not quite as long as I had intended, but I ran short on time, and wanted to be able to get the chapter out to you guys sooner rather than later. **

**Disclaimer: I know how to say "I own Twilight" in seven different languages. **

**Sigh Alas… that still doesn't make it true. **

**This chapter is dedicated to xSmallxTownxGirlx for her wonderful, encouraging reviews!**

**Chapter Thirteen**

_Having it All_

_December 14__th__, 2008_

_Midday_

Edward takes his time heading back home. He runs just above a normal human speed, hoping to prolong the feel of Bella pressed against his back, her small hands holding tightly to his chest. And she doesn't seem to mind either. She's much more relaxed now than she was on the way to the meadow, maybe because she is no longer thrown over his shoulder, swinging upside down.

She is so soft against him, and practically weightless . It is easy to forget that they are two separate beings, separate species even. For a moment he allows himself to be fooled into thinking that they are one. And a part of him thinks it may be the most beautiful moment of his long life.

"Did you miraculously get slower because it seems to be taking a lot longer?"

He had forgotten that her eyes were closed. Grinning, he swings her around from his back until she is settled against his chest. It happens so fast that she barely has time to squeak. Her eyes are still shut tight, as he leans near her ear to whisper, "Forgive me, I'm a little reluctant to share you with my family at the moment."

She laughs, "I'm _always_ reluctant to share you."

"Then why don't we delay our arrival a bit more, say lunch in Port Angeles?"

Her stomach rumbles in answer, and she blushes. He nuzzles the flushed skin of her neck before placing a solitary kiss on her collar bone. "Lunch it is then."

It takes him a few seconds to make it back to his car, and he manages to open the door and buckle her in before she opens her eyes.

She frowns, "I could have done that myself, you know."

"Yes, but then I couldn't have accidentally let my hand brush you here." His fingers dance across her hip near the seat buckle.

Her heartbeat stutters and she gulps.

She doesn't speak at first, and he wonders if he's done something wrong. Was he too forward? Should he really have let her buckle herself in? But his fears are calmed when she finally answers breathily, "I think you should buckle me in all the time, you know, just to make sure it is always done properly."

He grins, "Proper. Mmm, can't promise to be that."

She blushes brilliantly, and there is such longing in her expression that he has to turn away before he does something he shouldn't.

The drive to Port Angeles passes quickly with Edward's foot heavy on the gas pedal and Bella looking everywhere except for the road they're speeding down.

"So, tell me more about your family. I mean, Alice, for example. How does her gift work? I can only imagine what her memories are like—some true and some that never came to be."

He sighs, "It is difficult. Of course, having a vampire memory helps, but at times lines can become blurred between what is real and what isn't. Also, having to deal with not only your own memories, but the memories of others can be tricky."

His posture is weary, and his dark gold eyes speak volumes.

"You're not talking about Alice are you?"

He sighs and smiles sheepishly, before shaking his head.

"Things are complicated for Alice, I won't belittle that. But every thought, every memory, and every vision that crosses her mind crosses mine."

"Not to mention all the thoughts of the people around you." She adds quietly.

"And after all that, there are times when there seems to be very little room for thoughts of my own. It is the irony of our situation that I never have quite as much peace as I do with you. I'm finally able to be alone with my own thoughts. But at the same time, there is no other person in this world whose thoughts I want to know more than yours."

She doesn't reply at first, but he can tell that she is concentrating on something in particular.

"I'm not sorry that you can't hear my thoughts." She twines her fingers together, studying the way they fit together as she speaks, "You think so much of me, more than you should really, and sometimes I worry that if you knew my thoughts, if you knew me as you know other humans, you'd see just how ordinary I am."

He pulls the car to a stop, and she looks around to see that they have already arrived at a small diner in Port Angeles. Her jaw drops, and he takes the opportunity to drag his fingers across it, shutting her mouth with a gentle force.

"Bella. Whether I hear your thoughts or not, I know you better than I know any other human. Most humans fly just under our radar, we don't notice them more than necessary because there is no reason to do so, and it's safer that way. But as I told you, a vampire's mind is capable perceiving many things at once, and contemplating even more all at the same time. I spend nearly every minute of my day thinking about you Bella. I know everything that I could possibly know about you. I could even draw your face down to the smallest detail from memory. I've detected at least seven shades of brown in your hair and four subtle shades of red. You have eleven very light freckles on your face and one on your neck. I've read every book in your apartment just to understand to the best of my ability what you like and how you think. "

She can only stare at him in shock.

"I love you, Bella. You may wrongly consider yourself ordinary, but you have captivated me, all of me. And I like to think that I'm not that easily entertained by _ordinary _things."

She laces her fingers with his, but offers no reply other than a smile.

He wonders if she'll ever believe him when he says he loves her. He doesn't know any other way to tell her. He can't explain the feeling he has when her small warm hand is covered by his own. It's incomprehensible. It's like sleeping and waking at the same time. Like that moment between night and day when the sun and moon both reside in the sky. It's like having it all, in every sense of the phrase.

"Lunch?" He asks, breaking them out of their quiet reverie.

Her stomach rumbles again, almost as if in answer.

They both laugh, and he moves quickly to open her door. He offers his hand in assistance, and silently thanks his gentlemanly upbringing for giving him another excuse to touch his hand to hers.

He's beginning to understand just how addicted he is to Bella Swan.

The waitress seats them in a booth near the front of the restaurant—a booth that just happens to be right across from her perch behind the front counter. Bella glares at the older blonde, but she continues to stare blatantly.

"Ignore her." Edward grumbles under his breath.

"That's easy for you to say, you're used to this. Girls are always staring at you."

He laughs, "And you think boys aren't always staring at you?"

She opens her mouth to protest, but the bell rings signaling the entrance of a loud group of people a few feet away. There are two girls laughing shrilly at something presumably said by the two guys accompanying them.

Edward's back is to the front door, and it takes him a moment to recognize the voices, or rather thoughts, but he sees the recognition on Bella's face first. They walk by without acknowledging the waitress, probably heading to their usual booth.

He is assaulted by Lauren's thoughts as she notices his presence.

_Oh, my, God! It's totally Edward Cullen!_

"Oh my God!" She yells in his direction, "It's totally Edward Cullen!"

_I haven't seen him since graduation._

"I haven't seen you since graduation!" She smiled widely.

A moment later Jessica appears at her side.

_Edward Cullen! God, he hasn't changed at all! He still looks spectacular. _

"Edward Cullen!" Jessica crys, "God, you haven't changed at all!"

Edward tries not to roll his eyes. This is how it always is with these kind of people. Things get to be a bit… Repetitive.

Jessica's eyes shift to Bella and she frowns, "Who's your friend?"

He opens his mouth to answer, but is beaten to it as Lauren and Jessica's companions join them.

"Bella?" A male voice asks, before stepping forward from between the two girls.

He watches as Bella immediately drops her hair in front of her face to provide a sort of shield.

His elevated hearing detects the quietest of groans before she finally speaks.

"Hi Mike."

**A/N: Haha! I couldn't take them to Forks without an appearance from the good ole gang! Who's excited to see some Mike Newton in the next chapter??**

**Leave me some love!**


	14. Chapter 14

**A/N: I apologize to those of you who thought my last post was a chapter. But seeing as how there is not currently a Host section, I thought the best way to get out the news of my fic was to tell the fans of Meyer's other books! If you haven't read my host one-shot, and would like to… head to my Author's Page and it's called **_**His**_**.**

**But here is my official apology… in the form of a chapter… that I'm writing at 3:00 a.m. instead of sleeping. Because I love you all that much!**

**Previously: **

"Bella?" A male voice asks, before stepping forward from between the two girls.

He watches as Bella immediately drops her hair in front of her face to provide a sort of shield.

His elevated hearing detects the quietest of groans before she finally speaks.

"Hi Mike."

**Chapter Fourteen**

_War of Wits_

_December 14__th__, 2008_

Bella's jaw is clenched tight and her eyes close momentarily, before she opens them and fixes a half-hearted smile on her face.

"Hello Mike."

Edward has never seen someone smile so wide as Newton now.

"You remember Edward, right?" Bella's eyes plead with him, but a small part of him is enjoying her discomfort. She looks so adorable and it is helping to take his mind off of the thoughts running through Mike's mind.

"Yeah. Yeah, I think I remember you." Mike shrugs, though Edward knows perfectly well that Mike remembers him. Somehow over the years, Mike had seemed to build up some kind of imaginary rivalry between the two of them. It was all completely one-sided of course, but it didn't change the fact that Mike's poisonous thoughts were enough to drive him crazy.

"Cullen, right?" He asks.

Edward smiles politely and nods.

"So, Bella, how have you been? I've missed you." Mike smiles hopefully, his blond hair spiked up just as it always was.

"I've been good." Bella gives a miniscule roll of her eyes, "In the, oh, four or five years since I last saw you." She glances briefly at Edward, before grinning widely, "Quite good as of late."

_What are they even doing together?_

_How do they even know each other?_

Edward sighs… it had been a peaceful few moments without any thoughts going through Lauren and Jessica's minds.

"So…" Jessica begins, "How do you two know each other? Bella left before you moved here."

"Work."

"School."

Edward and Bella answer simultaneously.

"Uh, the first time we met was at Edward's work." Bella begins.

Edward quickly cuts her off, "I work as a _volunteer_ at a hospital in Seattle, that's where we first met, and then again later at school."

It wouldn't do for them to find out about his internship, when technically he was supposed to attend eight years of school before qualifying for such a job. He couldn't exactly explain that he'd gone to medical school before he'd ever been in high school with them.

Mike seats himself on the bench beside Bella, scooting too close in Edward's opinion.

"Same old Bella… what did you hurt that time?"

Bella blushes her classic blush, and a quick reel of Bella in a number of ridiculous catastrophes flash through Mike's mind.

Edward smiles wickedly, "You mean she's always been this way? Hmm… I would love to hear about all the things Bella got up to when she was younger?"

He's been concentrating mainly on Mike's thoughts, so he is caught a little off guard when Jessica and Lauren slide into the booth, sandwiching him between them. Bella lifts her eyebrows playfully, and he scowls in return.

"I swear everyone in the Forks Hospital knew Bella by name when we were younger." Jessica laughs shrilly. "The first time I met her I think she had at least three broken bones."

"Is that why your nose is so crooked?" Lauren replied acidly.

Bella's eyes widen, and Edward lets out a growl that can only be heard by his ears.

"Cool it, Lauren." Mike orders.

Edward hates that Mike is the one that defends Bella. It should be him. He should have been paying closer attention to her thoughts instead of tuning her out.

It is nearly physically painful for him to subject himself to it, but he makes sure to focus more on Lauren's thoughts to prevent another rude comment.

"Crooked? It seems very straight to me." Edward answers nicely, trying to lighten the mood. "And I happen to have very good eyesight." He throws Bella a small wink, and she seems to relax a bit more.

"So, let's continue with those embarrassing Bella stories, shall we?"

Her relaxed state immediately disappears, and she glares at him harshly. He only grins in return, knowing that he'll probably pay for this later.

"Remember the time you fell into the tide pool, Bella? And you stepped on that starfish and got all that green stuff in your hair?" Mike laughs.

Bella groans and lays her head down on the table, hiding behind her hair.

"That was our first date." Mike winks.

Edward narrows his eyes and moves to change the subject.

"How did you fall in?" Edward asks.

She mumbles something that he can't hear.

"What was that?"

"I said I was walking."

"You were walking and fell in? Were you walking along the edge?"

"No." She answers grudgingly.

"Then how?" Edward nudges.

She sighs unhappily before answering. "I saw a branch and was worried I would trip over it. And in trying to avoid it, I tripped over my own feet and then fell in."

Edward tries not to laugh. "So let me clarify this. You tripped into the tide pool, while trying not to trip into the tide pool?"

"Oh shut up!" She cries, kicking him gently underneath the table. She's learned by now that kicking him in anything more than a playful manner only hurts her. "We can't all be perfect."

Mike bristles at her comment, and Edward smiles smugly.

"Enough about me!" Bella cries out. "Let's talk about what Edward was like in high school?"

"Gosh… there's not much to tell." Jessica starts, "He mainly hung out with his siblings."

"Yes, how are the two married couples?" Lauren asks haughtily.

"They are doing wonderfully, actually. Spending the holidays at home after a long vacation around Europe."

Lauren rolls her eyes and slumps defeatedly in her chair.

"So you're telling me that there was nothing embarrassing? No scandals? How unfair!" Bella pouts.

"Well there was the gaggle of girls that always followed him around."

Edward wants to laugh because she had been one of the leader's of that gaggle, but didn't seem so keen to admit to it now. He rolls his eyes so that Bella knows not to be jealous.

"And then there was the whole thing with the La Push guys." Mike adds derisively.

Edward immediately goes rigid and Bella's eyes snap to his. He pleads for her to understand with his eyes as Mike continues his story.

"No one ever really found out what that was about. Just one day, a big group of guys from La Push, all of them looking twenty-something instead of like a bunch of high school kids, show up and there's like this big standoff in the parking lot between them and the Cullens."

"It was all just a misunderstanding really. Nothing to worry about." His comment is directly addressed to Bella and no one else. But her eyes tell him that they'll be discussing this later.

He nods almost imperceptibly.

"So Bella." Mike hedges, "While you're here in Forks, we should get together. You know, for old time's sake."

He can see the panicked look in her eyes and decides this is a fate from which he can definitely save her. There is nothing remotely amusing about the words Bella, Mike, and old time's sake.

"Actually Mike, Bella is at home to meet my family and spend the holidays with us."

Mike dodges easily, "Surely she can spare a day for an old friend. Your family won't mind."

Bella jumps in quickly, "We actually are trying to spend as much time with his family as possible because we're flying out to visit my Mom at the end of the week."

Edward raises an eyebrow in response to her lie, but goes along with it.

"She's correct. My family only agreed to us not celebrating Christmas Eve and Day with them if we promised to spend all our time with them."

Mike looks like he still wants to argue, but Bella's response stops him.

"Speaking of which, we did promise Esme we would be back quickly."

Bella scoots out of the booth and motions to Edward to join her, but he is trapped by the two brainless bimbos at his sides.

"Wait!" Jessica says, just now catching up with the conversation. "You mean you two are spending Christmas together? As in _together _together?"

Edward nudges her out of the seat and she stands numbly. He moves to possessively wrap his arms around Bella's waist and places a small kiss against her neck.

Bella smiles at the two jealous girls vengefully and replies, "As together and together can possibly be."

Lauren's jaw drops and Mike is seething in his seat. Edward didn't miss the innuendo in her statement and apparently neither did they.

Edward decides to play along. "We better get going. We have so much to _do_ today_."_

His voice is low and sinfully sweet, and he can tell by the look on everyone's faces (especially Bella's) that it worked as intended.

"Nice seeing you." He nods to the group before pulling a dazzled Bella out of the diner.

The fresh air helps bring her back to her senses.

"So what are all these things we have to do today?"

They've reached the Volvo and he gently pushes her up against it.

"Oh, just a little of this." He smiles pressing his body against her and wrapping her up in his arms.

"And this." He nips lightly at her neck.

"And let's not forget this." He drags his lips across her jaw before stepping away and unlocking the car. He opens the door for her, but she doesn't moved from against the car.

"Bella?" He asks, stepping back in front of her.

"You forgot something." She whispers.

He glances back to the diner, certain he hadn't left anything behind.

"What?"

"This." She whispers before crashing her lips against his.

He returned the kiss blissfully, and knew positively that this was something he never would forget.

**A/N: Not terribly long, I know. But what can I say. It is far past my bedtime… my mind just couldn't go any further. **


	15. Chapter 15

_December 17__th__, 2008_

_Twilight_

Three days pass before Bella's curiosity finally catches up to him.

"So you never did explain that apparently infamous meeting between the Cullens and the Quiletes…" She trails off quietly, and he can tell from her tone that she's trying to seem calm and understanding, but underneath the surface she's nearly bubbling with the desire to know his answer.

He sighs. "It should be easy enough for you to deduce what it was about, having the privilege of knowing what you know."

"Oh. So it was just another Vampire/Werewolf thing?" She slumps, apparently having prepared herself for something a bit worse.

He scoffs, "Oh yeah… you know, just your every day run of the mill mythological stand down. Sorry it isn't of more entertaining caliber."

"You know I didn't mean it like that." She grins. "Though now that you mention it, things have been dreadfully boring around here."

His head snaps up in response, but the smirk on her face is deviousness at its best.

"Are you asking me to spice things up a bit, Miss Swan?"

"Are you offering?"

It amazes him that only a slight touch from her fingers on his forearm makes his skin tingle with unfamiliar warmth. It almost makes him feel alive.

"If I am?" He steps closer, bending his head to allow his nose to graze her jaw.

"Then I would regret to inform you that I would have to decline." She whispers breathily.

"Decline?" He asks, pulling back to look at her face. "You would refuse me?"

He can't help the pout that comes to his face.

"Of course!" She smiles, "I can't have the Vampire/Werewolf standoff being the highlight of this town forever. I think it's high time that particular record was replaced. Which title do you prefer Vampire/Victim standoff or Predator/Prey? They're both accurate and alliterative, so it's really just up to preference."

"You silly little minx." He growled, "Just how long do you think this standoff can last?"

"As long as it takes."

He looks at her devilishly and steps closer until she's backed up against the side of his Volvo, very much like she had been in the restaurant three days ago.

She puts a hand on his chest to stop him. "Don't attempt your dazzling, because it won't work. I'm quite determined."

"As am I." He promised, moving in again, desperate to touch any part of her with his lips.

"You know, the way this is going, you're going to give Vampires quite a bad reputation… I mean, not that their reputation isn't already a little tainted, but the way you're acting, you'd think I was the one with dazzling skills extraordinaire."

"Perhaps we should work on tainting our reputations _together._"

"Why Mr. Cullen! Are you insinuating what I think you're insinuating?"

And he most certainly is. Even though he knows he shouldn't. He knows it's a promise (playful, though it may be) that he can't fulfill. But there is something about her that loosens his tongue and makes him act with reckless abandon.

He quickly tries to rectify the situation.

"If you're thinking about ending this ridiculous standoff, then yes. It feels like years since I've just been able to hold you."

She looks slightly disappointed that he's redirected their game of innuendo, but recovers quickly.

"I know Vampires view time differently and all, but my count you held me only two hours ago."

"Two hours without you in my arms is like a lifetime wasted."

Her eyes glaze over momentarily before she swats him on the arm. "No fair! Quit making me melt! How is the Victim/Prey ever supposed to win the standoff that way?"

He laughs before scooping her up in his arms and depositing her in his car. "All part of my master plan to take over the world one beautiful girl at a time."

"Yeah well… as far as you're concerned there better only be one girl you're taking over. And she's already tooken… or you know, whatever…words…meaning." She babbles, his closeness throwing her off.

He deposits a small peck on her lips before rushing to his side of the vehicle. She remains slightly dazed throughout the entirety of the car ride, and he thinks the standoff has officially reached its end. He takes her hand in his, dragging his thumb leisurely back and forth across her warm skin.

He's so caught up in the smell of her when they arrive home, that it isn't until he steps out of the car into the fresh air that he notices another scent on the wind. A smell that has his nose scrunching up in disgust, and his arms wrapping around Bella in a protective stance.

He can hear Carlisle pacing in the living room, Alice worrying away in her thoughts, and Rosalie thinking something about the consequences Edward's actions had brought on the rest of them.

He scoops her up in his arms quickly and rushes her into the house, disguising it as a playful attempt to get her up to his room.

"Later!" he whispers so that only his family can hear him.

There had been at least five of them in close proximity to his home within the hour.

He knows that Bella trusts them, but he's not sure he'll ever be able to do so. They're young and volatile and ruled by their unstable emotions.

They're _werewolves_ for goodness sake.

He sighs inwardly. He just needs time to figure this out. He tells himself that he's looking out for Bella's safety, but deep down he knows it's his own fear ruling him now. He is by nature a rather selfish creature. And he knows if there is anything in this world that could possibly separate Bella from him, he knows it is the group of dogs lurking in the woods just outside his home. And old friends or not, he's not willing to let anything take Bella away from him.

_December 19__th__, 2008_

It had come to him on a whim really. His mind had been sorting through his memories of Bella as he often did. And he had remembered that she'd lied and told Mike, Lauren, and Jessica that they were spending Christmas with her Mom in Florida. And while the trip was sure to be atrocious for him with all that sunlight, it was the perfect excuse to get Bella away from Forks and the people, or rather creatures, that had taken to occasionally prowling around the perimeter of his home in the darkness of night.

He knows that he might possibly be making a grave mistake. But he has no intention of keeping her away from them forever. He can't do that. She's a caring person, and she loves those dogs, despite their flaws. He hates that he has to consider himself among the flawed creatures she loves. He just needs time to think. And he needs to know that she is absolutely positive in his feelings before he allows their relationship into such a strenuous situation. But he also knows that it's not entirely about her feelings and her perception of their relationship, but his own, too. He has to be serious about his intentions with Bella.

He knows he's never loved anything in his life like Bella. Even that euphoric rush of peace and excitement he receives from playing the piano can't compare to the way he feels when he just looks upon her. And then to feel her, to smell her, to hold her-- is something entirely different. Something he couldn't quite describe even if he tried. He just knows that he thinks things can't possibly become better than they are, but every second in her presence proves him wrong. But can he expect her to give up a normal life to spend it with him?

And then there is the thing he has been avoiding thinking about. They've never spoken openly about it, but there are times when she says something that makes him think she's thinking about it, considering it. And there are moments when he looks in her eyes and he knows she would be willing, that she would gladly become like him if it meant they had a lifetime together. And he hates that sometimes he likes seeing that in her eyes.

When he shows her the airline tickets, she thinks he's joking. Her eyes are wide and her expression blank, and he hates that he can't read her. But then her small body is pressed up against his. In the back of his mind, he knows that she has flung herself at him, but the impact feels lighter than a feather. But she's holding him, using more strength than he's ever felt her use. He smiles into her hair, happy that she is happy. She has seemed a little off since the visit to the cemetery. He only sees it in flickers, but when he does, her sadness makes him feel as though his granite body is being torn to pieces. He wishes he could hear her thoughts, because he could have done this for her sooner. He never knew she missed Renee so much, missed home.

He runs his fingers through her hair, and knows that he could never take her away from this world, from this life. It wouldn't be fair. If she missed home like this now, it would be infinitely worse as one of the undead.

"I told your Mother we'd be arriving tomorrow evening." He whispers against the nape of her neck.

"_You _called Renee?" She pulls back, her eyes wide. "What did she say? What did you say? Did you tell her about us?"

"Slow down, Bella."

She stops abruptly and takes a gulping breath.

"I told her that we had just started seeing each other."

"She's going to think we're getting too serious too fast."

He laughs, "She did."

"What? What do you mean, she did?"

He doesn't reply, only taps a finger against his forehead.

"But I assured her that I just thought you missed her and would like to be there to spend Christmas with her."

"She wouldn't have believed you." She shakes her head, and he is reminded of how observant his Bella is.

"You are correct."

She laughs.

He continues, "But when I offered to cancel my ticket and allow you to come alone, she gave in. I believe her last thought was something like 'They're not serious now, but I hope they will be.'"

She smiles and hugs him tightly. "You've won my Mother over without even meeting her, the world has officially turned upside down."

His fingers dance along her spine as he chuckles, "Because when you found out vampires were real, the world was merely on it's side. But your mother's acceptance sets it spinning."

"Trust me, out of the two of those, one was much more likely, and it is the former."

"Glad to know I could turn your world upside down, perhaps if I do this it will right itself?" He grins and trails kisses along her jaw.

"Oh, it's turning." She smiles, "But very slowly."

"Really, now?" He laughs, before wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling her face up to his, until her feet are dangling a foot above the ground. He presses his lips tenderly against her own, just a few careful brushes, like a meticulous painter with his canvas.

She breathes in his scent, and he watches her eyes dilate slightly.

"You're not playing fair." She whispers against his lips.

"I'm fairly certain that they're are no rules when it comes to world-turning. Last time I checked everything was pretty much fair game."

"You realize we won't be able to do this around my mother." She presses her lips harder against his own.

He pulls back momentarily, "We'll just have to be sneaky."

"Hello!" She cries, "Not good at being sneaky! Stumbling, slipping, those are s-words that are in my range of abilities... but not sneaky."

"You forgot sexy." he whispers.

"Sliding, I can do that, too-- Wait, what did you just say?"

He grins crookedly, his fingers grazing her collar bone.

"I'm afraid I've already forgotten. Sweet? Does that sound right?"

She huffs and turns her face away from his questing lips.

His breath is hot on her neck as he continues, "Sensual?"

She sighs, shivering in his cold arms. "Closer."

"Seductive?"

His lips trail the column of her throat, leaving fire in his wake.

"So close." She shudders.

"Hmm... that's all I can think of, love."

She groans and pushes him away. "I think the s-word you're looking for is stupidity."

He laughs, "Don't be ridiculous, 'smart' fits you much better."

She rolls her eyes.

He steps closer to her, and she begrudgingly allows him to wrap his arms around her again. "Or perhaps stunning was the word I was looking for."

She doesn't reply, but she does relax a little more against him.

"Or I could move to another letter. Ravishing? Radiant?"

She smiles and lays her head against his chest, breathing deeply, completely content.

"Or maybe we'll stick with my original assessment."

He leans close, his lips grazing the shell of her ear.

"My sexy Bella."

**A/N: I hope you all enjoyed it! I'm not sure when I'll be able to update next. My internet is kind of on the fritz... I'm currently uploading this at a friend's house, but I promise that as soon as I am able, I'll get you guys another chapter. **

**Next Chapter: Heading to the land of sun and suspicious moms!**


	16. Chapter 16

**A/N: Don't hate me. I know it has been SO long since I've updated. But I have a good reason. I've had computer problems constantly for nearly a month, and it finally got fixed (hopefully for good) today, and I started writing immediately. I'll try and be better about the updates in the future. Hopefully this will curb your appetite for a little while. **

**Of Curses and Cures**

**Chapter Sixteen**

_Family Christmas_

_December 22__nd__, 2008_

_8:00 p.m._

Edward smiles as they arrive at the airport in Florida. It's late, just after sunset, and Renee is meeting them here. He is relieved that they have arrived late enough that they can skip dinner. The prospect of meeting Renee is exciting. He can't read Bella's thoughts, but if there is anyone in the world that has an insight into Bella Swan it is her mother.

"Don't slouch. She hates when people slouch. It can ruin even the most handsome man she would always say." Bella rattled off rule after rule.

"It wouldn't hurt for you to play the piano, but stick to the classics she's most likely to know. She can get defensive about her little hobbies. Oh, and don't be too buddy buddy with Phil, she has a thing against all that male-bonding mumbo jumbo."

"Buddy buddy? Mumbo jumbo? Your eloquence astounds me sometimes." Edward grins.

"You're pushing it, vampireboy." She teases.

He shushes her playfully and listens carefully to the thoughts of those around him to make sure no one heard.

"Just calm down, Bella. You forget that I will have more knowledge of your mother than any of your previous boyfriends." He smiles, taping a finger against his forehead.

"Well for someone who has so much knowledge," she mockingly tapped a finger against his forehead, "You forget that there weren't really any other boys. Not any important enough to meet my Mom especially."

He sighs. He doesn't need her to remind him of how little she truly knows of this world. There's so much she hasn't seen. So much she doesn't know. How can he take her away from all of that? Take her away from this life. He plasters a smile on her face, and reaches over to unbuckle her seatbelt when the plane finally comes to a stop.

"You'll just have to be careful not to let on to your mother how deeply _deeply_ in love you are with me. Wouldn't want to blow our cover of being a brand new couple would we?" His smirk is spread wide across his face, and he laughs as she scowls and crosses her arms across her chest.

"You know how much I love you, don't you?" He wraps his arms around her middle as they wait for everyone around them to grab their bags from the overhead compartments.

"Mmm…" She smiles, "This much?" She holds her fingers a few inches apart.

"I don't think so." He nuzzles his nose into her neck.

She holds her hands about a foot apart. "This much?"

He laces his fingers with hers and spreads her arms as wide as he can. "More like this much."

She stretches her neck up and plants a gentle kiss on his lips. "That's not even close to how much I love you."

He smiles. "Funny. I was thinking the same thing."

"Time to go meet your Mother." He throws her bag over his shoulder and reaches for her hand.

"I hate to break this to you, but I've already met her."

"Hilarious, Bella."

"I know." She laughs and darts in front of him and off the plane.

She laughs as she runs down the hallway towards security, and he runs after her. She takes one of the moving sidewalks to stay ahead of him, but he easily catches her, even carrying both of their bags.

"That was fun." He whispers to her as they walk through security. "I think I'd like to chase you more often."

"Mmm… and I think I'd like to let you catch me" She whispers back saucily.

He takes her hand gently, "You'll be the death of me one day, Bella Swan."

"I hope not."

"Bella!" He immediately recognizes Renee from a few pictures belonging to Bella.

"Mom!" She rushes to her, and he thinks that he should have done this so much sooner. She appears so happy. Her face is illuminated with joy, and he loves her more in that moment than ever before. He wonders if there are limits to love, if he'll someday reach that pinnacle.

"You must be Edward."

"That I am."

_Goodness, she picked a handsome one._

Edward smiles genuinely, and hears Renee's heartbeat peak slightly. All jokes aside, this weekend is important to him. He has heard about these moments in the minds of so many people, and knows how important it is to make a good impression on the parents. But at the same time, he has difficultly looking at Renee knowing that in the future, one of them will eventually have to give Bella up. If Bella stays with him, in the way a small part of him wants her to stay with him—as a vampire—then she will have to leave her old life behind. But if he does the right thing and keeps her human, he will eventually have to give her up. The thought pains him to his very core.

"It's so very nice to meet you." He smiles at Renee, unsure of whether to call her by her name or Mrs. Dwyer.

"Is your husband here? Bella's told me how happy you two are together."

Bella shoots him a warning look and he smirks. He knows… don't get too "buddy buddy" with the husband.

"Actually he's away at the moment for a game, but he'll be arriving home late tomorrow night, just in time for Christmas."

"Oh!" Bella smiles, "I'm glad he'll be here. I would have hated to pull you away from him at Christmas time."

"Nonsense!" Renee cries, pulling her into another hug, "It's been too long since I've seen you. I've missed you."

"I missed you too, Mom."

Edward feels as if he is intruding in their moment, so he courteously looks away.

"I like him." He hears Renee whisper quietly to Bella. Well, quietly by human standards anyway. "He's cute!"

"Cute is an understatement." Bella whispers back, "But don't tell him that. So far he's been remarkably humble, I'd hate for him to get a big head."

He suppresses a smile, and Bella winks at him over Renee's shoulder.

"Shall we be going?"

Bella nods happily and moves to Edward's side.

_How cute. They both look like they're dying to hold hands, but are terrified of my reaction. _

Edward grins crookedly, and reaches out for Bella's hand. Her eyes widen and she looks at him with worry. He only raises an eyebrow in response.

"So tell me about yourself, Edward."

"Well. I'm an intern at Seattle Presbyterian Hospital, that's where I first met Bella actually."

Renee turns to Bella with a frown. "You got hurt again? Why didn't you tell me?"

Bella rolls her eyes and replies, "If I told you every time I managed to injure myself our phone bills would both be ridiculous."

"She's exaggerating." Edward smiles, "She's actually had a pretty good track record lately."

"Only because you won't let me hurt myself." Bella pouts.

"I'm sorry I spoiled your fun." Edward counters.

"You know what I mean. I'm glad you keep me safe. I just thought you deserved a little credit, too."

"My credit is not having to have you as a patient ever again."

_He's perfect._

Renee's thoughts bring him back. He had once again become so absorbed in Bella that he forgot about the world around them.

He clears his throat quietly, and Bella's face flushes crimson before she peaks at Renee, who is smiling happily in the other direction.

They climb into Renee's sensible sedan, Bella in the front seat and Edward alone in the back. He spends the entire ride watching Bella in the rearview mirror. He keeps up conversation with Renee, answering her effortlessly, but his eyes stay locked on Bella, and he's rewarded with a blush every time her eyes catch his in the mirror.

_They're in love. _

Edward smiles. So they'd been here less than an hour and their cover was already blown.

_I wonder if they even know it yet. _

Edward wants to say that he knew it the moment he laid eyes on Bella, but knows (from experience) that answering an unspoken question only succeeds in freaking people out.

"So what do you two say about hitting the beach tomorrow?"

"I'd love to Mom, but Edward will probably have to stay in and work."

"Work?"

"Yeah, he's working on some big research thing at the hospital and the only way they agreed to let him have the time off was if he wrote some article while he was gone."

"Well, that's too bad." Edward thinks that Renee looks slightly relieved though.

_It will be nice to have some time alone with Bella, just the two of us. I guess he was telling the truth about only doing this for her. He's not some stupid frat boy looking for a weekend at the beach with his girlfriend._

"Yes, unfortunately, real life calls. But the extra work was worth spending Christmas outside of the hospital."

"What about the rest of your family? Won't they miss you this Christmas?"

"They were just happy to see me this last week, and meet Bella too. It had been a while since I'd been able to visit home."

Bella looks at him knowingly through the rearview mirror.

"Oh, Mom! You would just love Edward's parent's house. His mother, Esme, designed it all herself. It's absolutely gorgeous!"

"Really now?"

"Yes! Actually, you may remember it! It was that huge white house in Forks that was abandoned out on the edge of the forest outside of town."

Renee's expression slackens and her face seems to pale.

"I do remember it."

"Well, Esme has done wonders with it. It's practically a mansion."

Renee was silent as they pulled up in front of her home.

"Well here we are, home sweet home."

It is a small quaint home, white with green shutters, and the sun bounces off it giving it an airy, welcoming feel.

"This place is great, Mom!"

"Thanks, we like it." Renee hands her the house keys and says, "Here why don't you check the mail for me and run and open the door. I'll open the trunk so Edward can get your bags."

Bella smiles and climbs happily out of the car. Edward moves in silence around the back of the car. Renee opens the trunk and waits until Bella is out of earshot before she turns to Edward.

"How long have you been in love with my Daughter?"

His shoulders slump.

"She told me I couldn't fool you." He smiles. "Honestly? Since the moment I met her."

Renee absorbs this information and her thoughts cause his smile to drop immediately, and then her voiced words cause his body to go rigid.

"And have you told her yet that you're a vampire?"

**A/N: Well that's it for that chapter. Review if you were surprised by that ending…. **

**You better all review because even I was surprised by that ending! It came out of nowhere really. But I like it. As if you can't tell by now… I'm definitely deviating from the Twilight plot now… and it's so much fun!**


	17. Chapter 17

**A/N: Wow! 53 reviews for last chapter! I believe that is officially the most I've had for any one chapter! And can I just say… I've been meaning to say this for a while actually. A few of you know that my first fandom was (and still is) the Harry Potter fandom. It's how I got into fanfiction, what actually started me writing too. And though it will always be my first love, I must say that the Twilight fandom has much better reviewers!! Yes, that's all of you guys! I can look at my stats for my Harry Potter fic and have the same amount of reviews that I get on average for a chapter of this fic, yet there are nearly twice as many people reading that story. So even though less people are reading this fic than my HP one, I'm still getting the same (if not more) amount of reviews. So do you know what that means? It means you guys are awesome. And I'm working on this fic, when I really should be working on my HP one. **

**Disclaimer: This one time I picked up a daisy and started pulling off the petals… "Twilight is mine…. Twilight is not mine… Twilight is mine…. Twilight is not mine." Stupid Daisy. **

**Anyway…. On with the chapter!**

_December 22__nd__, 2008_

Edward's skin feels colder than normal, and he takes a deep unnecessary breath, before releasing a fake laugh.

"What do you mean?" He asks, but he can tell by the look on Renee's face that he's not fooling anyone.

"I'm sorry. Do you not like that term? Would you prefer Cold One?"

The name sends a tiny shiver up his spine. What is with this family and knowing things they shouldn't know? And why in the hell could the Quileute's not seem to keep a secret?

He grits his teeth and slings Bella's bag over his shoulder.

"The werewolves told you?"

Renee merely laughs, as though this is an everyday occurrence.

_Not by choice, they didn't._

"Something like that." She replies.

There is something she isn't telling him, but her thoughts are giving him nothing. That is something else about this family. Bella's mind is closed to him completely, and though he can hear Renee's thoughts they are different than that to which he is accustomed. There's an almost childlike quality to her thoughts, but at the same time they're fragmented, and some of them don't make sense, and other times he feels like he's missed something completely. It's like her thoughts are a puzzle that he has to put together without all of the necessary pieces.

"Does she know?" Renee reiterates.

"She does." He replies tersely, unsure of how Renee will take it. Will she still approve of their relationship? Could this be the moment? The moment when he might lose it all? Lose Bella?

Renee only sighs, and her thoughts still give him no insight.

_Slightly less complicated, then._

Slightly. That is an acceptable way to put it. His relationship with Bella will always be complicated to some degree, no matter what.

"I'm sorry, but would you mind telling me why you—"

Renee cuts him off as Bella starts heading in their direction.

"Let's keep this between us for the moment. I'm sure we'll have plenty of time to talk while you're here."

He nods, and Bella is at his side a few moments later.

"You're being awfully slow." She grins, raising her eyebrow teasingly in his direction. He rolls his eyes, and grabs his bag before taking hold of Bella's hand.

_She doesn't even flinch at his cold touch._

Edward's eyes reflexively shoot to Renee, before he remembers that she doesn't know about his special ability.

She looks at him peculiarly and he forces himself to look away.

_And for him to have already told her, this must be much more serious than he let on. _

Edward wonders if he should share the knowledge of his gift with Renee or not. It would be in his advantage to know the thoughts of his love's mother. It is certainly a foolproof 

way to make a good first impression. But she knows his secret. What harm would there be in being completely open with her? He is beginning to think that this may just solve even more of his problems. She should have rejected him from the moment she realized what he is. Any sane person would have. But perhaps that means she might still approve. And that would mean that one of them wouldn't necessarily have to lose Bella. If Bella remains human, they could still be together and wouldn't have to hide from Renee the fact that Edward never ages. Or if Bella _doesn't_ remain human, she wouldn't have to give up her mother, at least not forever, only until she could control her thirst.

He is getting ahead of himself.

"Perhaps we should head inside." Bella smiles, wrapping an arm around his waist and tucking herself into his side. He puts an arm around her shoulder and pulls he even closer.

_She looks so happy. Happier than I've ever seen her._

Edward grins in response, and that ever present tension, that guilt lessens slightly. He doesn't hate himself quite so much for his inability to let her go when he hears things like that. As long as he can make her happy, he can deal with his weaknesses.

They follow Renee towards the house, and the wind wafts two scents towards him. As always, Bella's scent causes venom to briefly flood his mouth, but he swallows it back easily. Renee's scent is not the same, but not entirely different. It is still floral, and she still may be one of the best smelling humans he's ever run across, but nothing can compare to his Bella.

"Are you hungry, Bella?" Renee asks.

_No need to ask him, at least I hope not._

Bella shakes her head no, and then just for appearances sake extends the question to Edward with a playful grin.

"No thanks, I'm perfect." He replies, feeling her warm, luscious scent fill the space of the living room.

_December 23__rd__, 2008_

_2:00 A.M. _

Edward is watching Bella sleep from his position leaning against her bedroom wall. She is smiling, mumbling happily about being home, loving her Mother, and having missed the sun. He may have originally brought her here with less than perfect intentions. He really had just wanted to get away from the threat of the wolves, but he couldn't have made a better decision. She fit with him in Seattle, but she fit here, too.

She's saying something about a jellyfish sting, when Edward hears someone maneuvering downstairs. Something clangs to the floor and he hears Renee whisper a quiet, "Shoot."

He places a gentle kiss on Bella's forehead and quietly treks down the stairs and into the kitchen. Renee is picking up a few pans as he switches on the light.

"Is this how Bella became so clumsy?"

Renee jumps slightly at his presence, and her heartbeat skips.

"I apologize for scaring you." He says.

"It's fine." She laughs quietly. "I've always been a little jumpy. Bella may have gotten her clumsiness from me, but she didn't get that trait. I swear nothing could scare her as a child. I was always more likely to come crawl into her bed when I got scared."

One side of Edward's mouth quirks upward in a soft smile. "I've noticed. Your daughter is very brave, almost to the point of stupidity sometimes."

"Yes," she smiles, "Yes I can see that."

Edward's expression grows serious. He wishes that he were a better man. That he could be proud that Bella chose him. And he is proud. But there is always that small part of him that thinks… that knows she could do so much better. So much guilt.

He sighs, "If it helps at all, I promise I did try to do the right thing. I tried to stay away from her, to stay out of her life, but she is very persistant."

He doesn't want Renee to think that he has tricked Bella into their relationship with his powers of temptation.

"I've always felt that if you want something bad enough, then it will come to you." Renee responds, "That only tells me that she really wanted to be with you."

_I think she loves you too, you know._

"She does." He replies, "Or at least, she believes she does."

He thinks that he has given away his last remaining secret, but then realizes that he managed to respond to both her words and her thoughts.

"So I'm guessing that this is a little more serious than you made it seem on the phone? Surely she wouldn't know your secret if you two were new to dating."

"Not new." He replies, "Not really at least. I guess it hasn't been that long. We met at the hospital at the beginning of November, but it feels like I've known her my entire existence. I feel like life barely counted before her."

She smiles knowingly.

"And how much life is that exactly, before you met my daughter?"

He laughs. Just as tricky as her daughter.

"Too much life." He says, and he means it. He has lived entirely too much of his life without Bella at his side. "I was born in Chicago in 1901."

"Chicago?" Renee asks, "Lovely city, a bit cold though."

He laughs. Renee, like her daughter, is unpredictable, only slightly less so because he can hear her thoughts a moment before she replies.

There is silence for a moment, before Renee sighs. "You should go back to bed, I'm sorry for waking you. I'll pretend I don't hear you sneak into Bella's room."

"You didn't wake me. I can't sleep."

"Me neither." She sighs, rubbing her red eyes.

Apparently she didn't know everything about vampires.

"Sleep just won't come. I'm so tired I feel as though I haven't slept in decades." She yawned.

He laughs, "I actually haven't slept for decades."

_What?_

Her expression is puzzled, and he thinks that now may be the perfect time to get some answers, while answering a few questions along the way of course.

"Vampires don't sleep. I haven't slept since I was changed in 1918. It might be the thing I miss most about my old life."

She looks torn, perplexed, but her thoughts don't match her expression.

_That must be awful. Nineteen eighteen…_

"So, wait, you're seventeen?"

He laughs, "That's one of the first things Bella said also. She hates that she's older than me, although technically I'm more than half a century her senior."

He takes a seat on the couch, and Renee follows, curling up in a recliner.

"So I must admit, the similarities between you and your daughter are uncanny. Right down to your surprising knowledge of things that are supposed to be secret."

_What does he mean?_

"Bella guessed my secret before I told her, just like you."

Renee's jaw drops and her eyes widen.

"How?"

"Same as you. The werewolves."

_Not the same as me. Never the same as me._

She nods quietly.

"Her friend Jacob, I believe, is the one who told her. Of course, when he first told her the legends, he thought they were only that—legends."

"Yes, I heard them as a child, too. Anyone who is friends with a Quileute probably has. Children aren't so good at keeping secrets."

"So that's why you called me Cold One?"

She nods.

"Do you have any questions for me? I'd be glad to answer anything I can."

"You're eyes?" She asks.

She knows about the red eyes? Edward supposes that the Vampires in the original Quileute legends had red eyes.

"My eyes are this color because I have a slightly different diet. I drink from animals instead of humans."

"That's right, I've heard of your little group."

_The Quileute's still didn't trust you._

"The temptation is always there of course, but I have been denying my thirst for a very long time. I am quite practiced. May I ask how you know of my family? From what Bella has told me, you wouldn't have lived in Forks at the same time as any of us."

"Oh, kids from the tribe used to talk about that house, how it was where the cold ones lived. I think it was a tradition to try and break in before you graduated."

"So I've heard. That is how Bella knew as well. When her friends made the change to wolves, she realized that if one mythical creature was real, the other must be as well. Is that how it went for you?"

_Not exactly. _

"I wasn't quite as close with the Quileute's as Bella. I had no idea that Werewolves were real. Not until I was pregnant with Bella."

Edward's brow furrows.

"I don't understand."

"The Werewolves didn't reveal themselves to me until it was absolutely necessary."

Edward is silent, waiting for her to go on or waiting for some clue from her thoughts.

"Necessary?"

She took a deep, shaky breath.

"Necessary to save me and Bella."

_From your kind._

He shuts his eyes tightly, and pinches the bridge of his nose. Only Bella could have attracted the attention of a vampire before she even left her mother's womb.

**A/N: Interesting enough for you guys? Things are starting to unfold in my mind very nicely. Though I would like your help deciding something. **

**As the end of this chapter reveals, Renee was stalked by a vampire when she was pregnant with Bella… now I need your suggestions choosing the name of this vampire. I have no preference, and thought it might be nice to let you guys have some say in it. **

**Whoever's suggestion I decide to use will get a chapter dedicated to them! And perhaps a sneak peek at something coming up in the story!**


	18. Chapter 18

**A/N: Sorry it's been a while guys. Life has been a bit busy! But thank you all for the phenomenal response to the last two chapters! I had over fifty reviews for each chapter! Which is the most I've ever had for a single chapter! You all are wonderful! **

**This chapter is dedicated to everyone who reviewed with a suggestion for a vampire name. It was a very difficult decision, which is part of the reason this update has taken so long! You all gave some great ideas! **

**And finally… thanks to bug2001 for reviewing every chapter! Glad to have you on board!**

_December 24__th__, 2008_

_10:00 A.M._

He had learned that Bella is unaware of the vampire that hunted her and her mother before her birth, but was unable to learn much more beyond that. Bella, missing Edward's presence upstairs, had come down moments later, effectively ending the conversation he'd begun with Renee. Since then, there hadn't been a moment where he could talk to Renee alone. Bella was always with one of the two of them. So after the most stressful twenty-four hours of his life with only flashes of memories from Renee, Edward had come to a decision.

When Bella slips away that morning for a quick human moment, he moves quickly (perhaps too quickly) to Renee's side.

She jumps slightly at his presence.

"Holy Mother of—"

"We don't have much time." Edward begins. "We're leaving tomorrow after Christmas morning to head back to Seattle, and I have to know your story. I have to know what happened when you were pregnant with Bella."

Renee's eyes flick to the stairs that lead to Bella's room, and he can see her reluctance.

_But she might_…

He can't pause to listen to her thoughts. Based on Bella's usual habits they only have a few minutes.

"I'm going to let you in on a little secret of mine, even beyond the one you already know."

She looks anxious, but there is an excited gleam in her eyes.

"Some of my kind has abilities above and beyond the normal powers that come with being what I am. The leader of my family believes that it has something to do with bring one's extraordinary talents into 

this new life, only magnified. It's difficult to describe, but I promise it's the truth, and I fear it's the only way I'll learn your story in time."

Her thoughts are now positively raging with curiousity.

_Extra powers? You mean there's more?_

"Yes."

_Like what? I mean can't all vampires already run really fast?_

"Yes."

_And they're all insanely strong?_

"Yes."

_With amazing senses?_

"Yes that too."

"Well then what else could there possibly be?"

She pauses for a moment and he can see her confusion.

_That last question sounded different. I said it out loud and it was almost like the others…_

She trails off and a look of disbelief crosses her face.

"It's true." Edward sighs. "As a human, I was extraordinarily good at reading people. And as a vampire, I'm even better."

He hears Renee shuffling through her memories of the past few days, worrying that she had done or thought something embarrassing.

"Oh! I'm absolutely mortified! All day I'm going to be worrying about controlling my crazy mind. How does Bella deal with it? It's so embarrassing!"

Edward laughs. "She doesn't actually. Bella is the only person I've ever met whose thoughts are secret to me."

Renee makes a thoughtful expression and her thoughts process the new information, before her mouth settles into a pout that makes her look more like a child than the mother of a grown young woman.

"How unfair."

Edward laughs again. He can't believe how much of a relief this is. And he knows that Bella will find it even more of a relief. He can imagine her expression when she learns that she doesn't have to hide her new secrets from her mother. And the small, masochistic part of him imagines her not having to hide 

from her mother when those secrets have become hers to bear as well, when her skin is hard and smooth like his own.

He's shaken from his deluded and selfish thoughts when he hears the door to Bella's room close upstairs.

"Bella's coming downstairs? Are we still keeping this between us?"

Renee glances up the stairwell, a torn expression on her face and then nods.

"Then do you understand what I'm asking of you?"

She nods again, and he's assaulted by a barrage of images, remarkably clear and distinct for a human.

Bella appears downstairs, just as Renee begins to show him Forks, images with which he is already familiar.

Bella's hand wraps around his own and pulls him to the couch, as he is introduced to images of her childhood home, like a reel to a silent movie.

He places a soft kiss on her temple and she blushes cutely, glancing to see if her mother is watching.

She is, and she smiles at the two of them, causing Bella to blush further.

Bella pulls Edward towards the large Christmas tree in the corner, and starts to point out some things.

At the same time, Renee, who has busied herself tidying up the house, continues sending him image after image. He sees her with Charlie, waking up in the middle of the night because of strange noises, having the bizarre sensation that someone was watching her, but she was always saved by someone coming to talk to her moments before her stalker might have made his or her move. Usually her saviors were russet-skinned with dark hair, most likely members of the Quileute tribe.

"I made this ornament when I was in second grade." Bella smiles, "It's made out of clay, and it was supposed to be a star, but while it was drying I tripped and dropped it on the floor. Mom lied and told me that there really were stars that looked like that. I think I believed her well into Junior High."

Renee's memories are interrupted for a few moments to remember that day, and Edward grins at the sight of a seven-year-old Bella. She had curly brown hair and rose-colored cheeks. She might have been the most adorable child he's ever seen. And he's seen many.

"You were a beautiful child." He whispers into her ear.

She glances towards her mother, and seeming to put two and two together, she gives a small smile. She continues pointing out ornaments, some that she made with Renee, others that were gifts, and Edward concentrates on both her words and Renee's thoughts.

He sees the day where the werewolves first revealed themselves to her. She, unlike her daughter, seemed terrified of them, and was reluctant to trust them at first. But she knew instinctually that there was something worse out there, something that had set its sight on her.

He nearly gasps when he sees a memory of her cornered in her own home by a tall vampire with deep black eyes. He doesn't recognize the vampire. He'd obviously chosen the normal diet for most vampires, and he was closing in on Bella's mother. He was lean, but muscled like all vampires. His clothes were torn and his feet bare. A nomad. His blonde hair was dirty and pulled back from his face. He was inches from a very pregnant Renee who was frozen in fear. He pulled his lips back over his teeth growly, and his arms reached for her at the same moment that another vampire joined him. Her movements were fluid and graceful, and her vibrant red hair danced around her face.

She hissed something at the other vampire that Renee couldn't hear, and thus neither can Edward hear it through her memories. The hungry vampire hissed something back, and the woman, who Edward guesses was his mate, gestures towards the door. She slowed down, punctuating her words and Renee understands this time.

"_James, they're coming. We have to go." _

The male, James, hissed back at her, his stance unmoving. Edward can see it in his eyes. This vampire was a hunter. He lived for the hunt, and he couldn't be this close to his prey and not take her. He wouldn't be leaving, no matter who was coming.

Seconds later, the front door is thrown off its hinges, and a large grey wolf nearly the size of a bear flies into the room. Nearly half a dozen more follow, and the female vampire shrieks in response. She looks once more to her mate, but he has turned to fight. Edward can see the fear and grief in her eyes as she flees alone out the back of the house.

The wolves made quick work of James, tearing him apart almost methodically as though they were made to do so. And Edward realizes that it may very well be so.

For the rest of the memory, Renee stayed huddled in the corner, her eyes wide, and pale, white fingers clutching protectively at her swollen belly.

The wolves left, taking the body parts with them. Two returned moments later in their human forms and proceeded to comfort Renee. She barely spoke to them once she snapped out of her trance. Almost immediately, she flew up the stairs into her room, throwing clothes upon clothes into a suitcase. The Quileutes tried to stop her, to reason with her, but she refused to stay even to talk to Charlie.

Edward looks at Renee, who has stopped her cleaning and is leaning heavily against the wall, her face drawn, and the ghosts of tears shimmering in her eyes.

But the memories don't stop.

He sees her travelling, still very pregnant with Bella. He watches as she returned to Forks little more than a week before Bella was born. Renee tried to stay with Charlie, and she managed it for a while, for Bella's sake. But he can see the toll it took on her to remain in that house. He sees memories of sleepless nights, and he realizes that the Quileutes must have sworn her to secrecy. He sees the memory of her leaving for the final time, simply unable to stay in Forks any longer.

"_I hate it here! Just let me go, Charlie." _

He's brought back to the present when Bella excuses herself to grab a drink from the fridge.

"You want anything?" She asks playfully.

He of course shakes his head no.

As soon as she's out of ear shot, Renee releases a great, shuddering breath, and the tears begin to fall. Edward places a cold hand on her back, sure at the moment that an embrace from a vampire is the very last thing she needs at the moment.

"It's such a relief." She whispers, "To have someone else know. I've always felt like a horrible mother and a horrible wife, leaving them both there. But Charlie refused to move, and I-I just couldn't stay."

"You should tell Bella." He replies quietly. "She would understand."

"No." She shakes her head fiercely. "No she wouldn't."

"Why not?"

"Because…" She trails off.

_Because my mistakes cost her the person she loved most. _

He sees another flash of the red-headed vampire, her red eyes nearly piercing in their fury.

_Her father. _

Edward stumbles back, holding a hand to his chest, as the scene unfolds before his eyes.

Renee hadn't been there, but the Quileutes had notified her immediately. Bella had luckily been on the Reservation at the time, and had been told that Charlie suffered a heart attack instead of the truth—that he had been brutally killed by a vengeful vampire. Renee caught the first flight back to Washington, and Edward's chest burns when he sees fourteen-year-old Bella sobbing into her mother's arms over the loss of her Dad.

"I can't tell her." Renee whispers, "I just can't. "

And Edward understands.

**A/N: Well, there it is. Not a huge surprise that I chose James and Victoria. I decided to leave Laurent out of it this time. And who thought James would die before ever getting a bit of action in? I struggled with a long time over using these villains, or creating my own, but in the end I decided the story would be more accessible if I used familiar characters. But of course, I couldn't turn down the chance to once again deviate greatly from the plot of Twilight. I hope you all enjoyed the twist about Charlie's death. **

**Leave me some love!**


	19. Chapter 19

**A/N: I love you guys. **

**That is all. **

**Okay, so that's a lie. Not the loving part, but the being all part. I start school tomorrow… or… I guess today, so I rushed to get this chapter done before that. It is now 2:00 A.M. and I'm too tired to run through it and check for errors, so you'll have to forgive me if I've botched anything. **

**Also… it may take me a little while to get accustomed to my schedule with school starting and work, so I'm not sure when the next update will be, or if I'll get slowed down any, but I wanted to get this out to you before everything changed. Because of that… it was written quickly and without as much brainstorming as I normally put into it, so not one of my favorite chapters, but I hope you'll enjoy it all the same. **

**Disclaimer: Still not mine…. Do you people just like bursting my bubble every time?**

_December 25__th__, 2008_

_Christmas Morning_

Edward finds Bella particularly reluctant to wake up this morning, probably because she knows that gifts are coming. She buries herself further beneath her covers, refusing to show him her beautiful face.

"So you want to play hide and seek do you?" He grins, "Just a warning, I'm very good at this game?"

She whips the covers off her head, but he has already disappeared. She smiles happily, her thoughts momentarily diverted from the disaster that is Christmas morning.

"I wonder what happens when I find you?" She thinks aloud.

"Perhaps we should make a deal. If I find you, I don't have to accept any gifts."

He growls deep in his chest, and she spins, trying to decipher his location. She pouts as she is unsuccessful.

"Fine. Fine." She huffs, "What about just one less gift?" He had already revealed that he planned on giving her several.

He growls again.

She doesn't even try to find the source of the noise this time. She continues pacing around the room, not really even concentrating on looking. Was she refusing to play his game?

"You're so stubborn." She groans. "How would you like it if I spent tons of money on things you didn't even need? What if I just threw money around like it was nothing, buying everything that caught my eye or reminded me of you? When in reality, the only thing I could ever want or need for Christmas…"

He throws open the door to the closet he's hiding in, grabs her arm and pulls her into the dark with him.

"Is you." She finishes breathlessly.

He buries his cold face into the warm crook of her neck and inhales deeply.

"What was I saying?" She asks.

"You were telling me how much you loved Christmas." Edward snickers.

She laughs, threading her fingers into his hair.

"I think you've gotten some of my words confused. You—I love very very much." She punctuates her statement with a kiss on the side of his neck. "Christmas, on the other hand, not so much."

He presses her into the closed closet door, and looks into her eyes. It's dark in the closet, but it doesn't affect him. His eyes can see every curve of her body, and he can see every small movement from her short gasping breaths. He leans into her, placing his mouth centimeters away from her ear and breaths, "What if I make it worth your while?"

She gulps.

"And how would you do that?" Her small hands tighten against the muscles of his back.

"Well. I could do a bit of this." He runs his lips along the column of her neck painfully slow, feeling her pulse speed up beneath his lips.

"With a little of this." He opens his mouth, allowing his tongue to dart out briefly to taste her skin.

She releases a strangled breath.

"Or…" he places a soft kiss against her opened mouth. "I could just let you choose."

"Me? Choose?" She gasps.

He nods, and drags his hand lazily across her hip. He hears a quiet moan that he can tell she tried to hold in. His palm continues blazing a trail from her hip down the outside of her thigh. His strong fingers close around the back of her knee and in one fierce tug, he has her leg wrapped around his waist.

Her eyes are wide and there is a hint of anxiety in them. He smothers a grin, glad for once that he doesn't feel like the one who can't keep up. Normally, she's like a little ball of fire, and he feels like he isn't worthy of her. He feels so small, like he can't possibly handle everything that is Bella Swan. He takes a special pleasure in seeing her melt against him.

"Edward." She rasps.

"Yes, my love?"

"I-I want…b-but my Mom."

"Is outside reading on the porch. She's very caught up in her book."

She grins wickedly, "Then what are you waiting for? Kiss me already!"

He presses his lips hard against her own, and her fingers are suddenly buried tightly into his hair. He loves how she is always touching his hair. It keeps him grounded. Her lips are so soft and warm that sometimes it feels as though it can't possibly be real, nothing that feels that amazing can be real. He feels like he might float away into some ethereal dream, but when he feels her small hands in his hair, it reminds him that this moment, a moment that he'd only ever dreamed about, is not only real, but is neither the first or last time that he'll feel her lips against his.

His hands are steady on her waist, so steady that when she lifts her other leg to wrap around his waist, her body barely even moves. He wraps his arms tighter around her, effectively pressing their bodies together. He loves holding her, knowing that she trusts him to support her.

"Have I told you lately that I love you?" He whispers against her lips.

"Yes." She grins, "But tell me again."

He laughs, but does as she asks. He wonders if he's ever said something so truthful in his life. Sometimes he gets the feeling that love can't possibly encompass the emotions he feels for her.

"I do love you."

She wiggles against him, and he realized that their hips are lined up intimately, and she's biting her lip to hold back a moan.

He knows that it's time for him to pull back, but he dreads seeing the look on her face when she does. He longs for nothing more than to make her happy, but he can't give her that. She may think it would make her happy, but it would only endanger her.

He sighs, before beginning the inevitable.

But she tightens her legs around him to stop him.

"Bella." He groans.

"Don't stop. You always stop."

"Because I love you."

She tries to pull his lips back to hers, but he holds fast.

"Then love me!" She whispers fiercely.

"Bella." He caresses her cheek gently. "I wish, fervently, that I could give you that, but I can't."

He hadn't wanted to ever have this conversation, but he knows that it's necessary.

"It's too dangerous, Bella."

She looks crushed.

"Oh. I should have realized that was it. I thought… you didn't want…"

"Didn't want? Christ, Bella, you thought I didn't want you?"

She blushes, giving him all the answer he needs.

He pulls her body closer, and presses his hips hard against her own, showing her just how much he wanted her.

"Bella. I want you so much it kills me. I can't tell you how hard it is to say no to you."

"So don't." She smiles half-heartedly.

"If it were just for me, it would be different, but this is for your own good."

"Ugh. Why is it that every time I _really_ want to do something… people always tell me not to for my own good."

He laughs.

"You _really _want to do it?"

"Don't mock me." She pouts, "This is embarrassing enough as it is."

Her legs still wrapped around his waist, he settles down onto the floor of the closet. He pulls her tight against him, and the two are surrounded by the clothes hanging above them.

"Don't be embarrassed, love, you certainly aren't the only frustrated one among us. Why do you think I'm always in your rocking chair when you wake up? It's entirely too tempting to spend the entire night by your side."

She blushes and presses her warm cheek against the exposed skin of his collar bone. He hears her breath hitch and the wetness of her tears.

"So… never?" She cries into his cold skin.

"Bella? Bella, my love? Don't cry. Maybe someday it will be different, it's hard to say. But regardless, I will always consider you my lover."

She doesn't reply, only cries into his arms. But she makes no move to push him away, so he hopes that means she isn't too upset with him, however upset she might be with their situation.

He hears Renee's footsteps entering the house and then at the bottom of the stairs.

"Your mother's coming. Should I head her off?" He asks. Bella nods, and grasps his hand thankfully.

As quickly as he can, he slips from her embrace, out of the closet, and out of the room to meet Renee in the hallway.

"Oh Edward!" Renee cries. "I wanted to speak with you."

Her thoughts tell him that it is about something that she doesn't wish Bella to know. He holds a finger to his lips and gestures to Bella's door.

"Bella is just finishing getting ready, why don't we head downstairs and wait for her there?"

Renee smiles and nods, and Edward follows her back down the stairs.

"You wanted to speak with me?" Edward asks when he's sure Bella cannot overhear.

"Well, yes," Renee begins, but Edward hears the question in her mind first.

"Of course, we can stay in touch. I'm sure you have many questions, and I myself wouldn't mind knowing more about Bella's childhood, seeing as how she is a bit of a closed box to me, or her thoughts are anyway."

Renee looks relieved. "Oh good! It's just I know how difficult things are concerning yours and Bella's relationship."

_And I know how your kind thrives on secrecy._

"You are very right, Renee. Our secrets are important to us. But I can't tell you how much of a relief it is to have you know. And I'm sure Bella will feel the same way should you ever choose to tell her. "

"Perhaps." She replies. But her thoughts tell him that she's still very wary of telling Bella the truth.

"Was there anything else on your mind?" He asks.

There are a strange series of images that flash through her mind, but he has trouble making sense of them. He's still not used to the way Renee's mind works.

"I had hoped just to know more about you. You, specifically, and your kind."

He smiles, "I can certainly do that. I would be glad to keep up a correspondence with you. And perhaps keep you updated on Bella's life, I know how bad she is at staying in touch."

A small tear wells in her eye, but she wipes it away quickly.

"Thank you so much, Edward. I'm so happy that Bella's found you. I'll admit, it's not exactly a conventional romance, but it's so romantic to know that you'll have each other for eternity."

If Edward had a working heart, it would have stopped beating in that moment.

How can he tell her that that is not the truth? That he can't damn Bella to this life? Will she still be accepting if she knows that he can never give Bella that?

But shock is the predominant emotion, and words slip unexamined from his mouth.

"You would have me change her?" He asks in disbelief.

"Yes, I figured that…" She trails off, horror dawning on her face. "You won't?"

He shakes his head fiercely, unable to actually say the words because of the strong voice in his chest that wants so desperately for him to actually say yes.

"I thought you loved her?"

Why does everyone keep doubting his love? He is trying to do the unselfish thing!

"Which is why I can't change her, Renee. Like you said, this love is not conventional, and certainly neither is my life. I cannot damn Bella to my fate, Renee. I will spend every moment of her life with her, but I cannot ask her to be here for every moment of mine."

He is surprised at how shocked Renee is. He can't believe that she would just assume that it would work that way or that Bella would even want that. Perhaps she might foolishly think she wants it now, but later in life she would come to regret it. He knows she will. It's the only thing that keeps him from giving in.

Renee doesn't speak much more after that. She is wrapped up completely in her thoughts. He can tell she is trying to think of mundane things, but every once and while an image of he and Bella will slip in.

The three of them open presents as soon as Bella comes downstairs. Edward and Bella give Renee a large work of art painted by Esme to hang in her new house. As Alice had promised, she absolutely adores it, and insists on hanging it right that moment. Renee gives Bella pink silk pajamas, and Edward thinks he sees something else silk below it, but Bella covers it quickly, and hides the box with a blush.

Edward and Bella exchange small gifts in front of Renee, because Bella thinks that they are still trying to keep up the "new relationship" farce in front of her mother. They plan to exchange more serious presents later that evening after they have arrived back in Seattle. Edward gives Bella a necklace with a deep blue gemstone hanging down like a teardrop, along with a few books that she'd mentioned she would like to read. Bella gives him a CD, one that Alice had promised he didn't already have. And then as a joke, she gave him a freesia scented car freshener. He hugs her, whispering in the ear that it doesn't smell nearly as delicious as she does.

They clean up the mess of bows and wrapping paper, and Edward grabs their things from upstairs. Their flight leaves just before noon, and then they'll be back in Washington to spend New Years and the rest of Bella's break from school completely alone without any interruptions or hang ups. They just have the eight-hour flight to get through first.

Bella and Renee say goodbye at the airport, holding each other in a fierce hug for several long minutes. He knows they're talking about him and he concentrates on other things trying to give them their privacy, but he can't help overhearing a few things.

He is thankful that Renee is reassuring, even pushing for Bella to get more serious. Bella only smiles.

Edward waves goodbye to Renee, still unsure of how she feels about contact with a vampire, and then they set off through the jungles of baggage check and security, wishing for the time to pass faster.

He can tell during the flight that Bella wants to talk to him, but they are most likely things that she doesn't want overheard. After a few hours of squirming, she finally sets her shoulders determinedly, digs for something in her pocket, and then turns to him.

"I had planned to do this when we were alone, but I just can't wait anymore. It's Christmas, and airplane or no airplane, I want to give you my gift."

Edward chuckles, and unbuckling turns to face her.

"Okay, then."

She holds open her hand to reveal a small bronze-colored key.

"It's a key to my apartment."

He raises a brow and replies, "I would have thought that by now you would know I don't need a key to get into your apartment."

"It's not about the key persay." She's nearly shaking in her seat, whether from excitement or nerves he can't tell. "It's more about the meaning behind it."

"I'd like for you to move in with me."

His jaw drops open in shock.

"Now before you say no, it's not like you don't practically live with me already. The only thing different would be you actually showering at my place and keeping your stuff there. Unless of course you had planned on returning to Forks every evening like you originally planned. I hadn't thought of that." Her forehead creases in worry.

He cups her cheek in his hand, "I'm not going back to Forks, but Bella—"

"And don't try to pull that gentleman crap on me either, I know you're no gentleman." She elbows him playfully.

"Bella—"

"I just hate not spending time with you. And even if it only gets me ten more minutes with you before you leave for work, I'll take it. So if you'll just consider for a moment…"

He pulls her as close as the seats will allows, and silences her with a kiss.

"I don't need to think about it, Bella. I was only going to point out that things might be a little difficult with you having Angela as a roommate."

Bella's face falls. "OH. Oh. I hadn't thought about that."

"Not a problem." He grins, "I have a solution."

"I don't care how much you beg, you can't feed on Angela." She whispers.

Edward rolls his eyes. "Hilarious, Bella."

"Yeah, I thought so." She grins cheekily.

" I was merely going to suggest that you move into my apartment. Like I said, it's not decorated or anything, so I'll need your help, but it's pretty big, and it had a great view of the city."

"I'm sold." She laughs happily.

"So we're living together?"

"We're living together." She affirms.

He pulls her in for a soft and gentle kiss, and he feels almost normal for a moment. This is what normal people do. They fall in love, move in together, get married, have children, grow old together. They don't fall in love, move in together, get married, and join the undead. But he would take what normalcy he could get.

She pulls back from the kiss.

"Wait a second! How did you manage to change my gift to you into a gift to me?"

He grins crookedly and shrugs. "Don't forget, you still have more gifts whenever we get back to Seattle."

"You're despicable!" She shoves him lightly.

"I know." He answers with a playful sigh.

"But I love you."

He grins. "I know that too."

**A/N: Well… I hope you guys enjoyed that chapter, and for those of you starting school like me, good luck with your classes! **

**Also… here's a little preview into the next chapter, just to make your mouth's water a bit. **

**PREVIEW: **

_Edward didn't need to think about who had done this, he would know that scent anywhere. _

_Werewolves. _

**Ah! Who's excited! I sure am! Leave me a review guys!**


	20. Chapter 20

**A/N: Hey! Look…. It didn't take as long as you all thought! Or as long as I thought, for that matter! The first week of my senior year in college is now underway! The good news is…. I have some free time at the moment because classes are still in the beginning phases and we aren't really in the thick of things yet… which is allowing me to write this chapter! Bad news is… My assumptions on being very busy this semester look to be very correct. **

**As I told you before, I began this story to take a break from my other fanfics and my original works. And I'm afraid it will continue to be that. I'm hard at work on some original stuff, and I'm taking a writing class this semester that looks to be pretty demanding, so this might have to take a back seat. But I love this fic just as much as you all do…. So it will get updated… you all just may have to be a bit patient and bear with me. And of course, you're all welcome to send me emails and pms that tell me in a kind and loving way… "Hurry up!"**

**On to the chapter! **

**Oh yeah, ****Disclaimed!**

_Of Curses and Cures_

_Chapter Twenty_

_December 25__th__, 2008_

_Evening_

Bella looks exhausted by the time they arrive back in Seattle and pick up their baggage. She is leaning heavily on him, but he doesn't mind. He could carry her for all eternity, and he wouldn't mind. He feels a twinge of guilt at his wishful thoughts. He had meant it, but not necessarily the connotations that the word brought with it. Eternity. Forever. As badly as he wanted it, it wouldn't be right for them to share eternity. But he would always be there to carry her if she needed it. There were some things he couldn't grant her, but that wasn't one of them.

She is silent, but smiling as he helps her climb into his Volvo in long-term parking.

"It's been a good day." He grins at her drowsy form.

"It's been an amazing day." She corrects. "And an amazing trip."

He nods his head in agreement.

"My mother absolutely loved you. I'm fairly certain if we weren't dating, she would have gone for you herself."

He snorts, remembering Renee's slight hesitancy towards him.

"I doubt it." He shakes his head.

"I'm serious. She looked at you in wonder for most of the weekend."

He snickers, and wants to tell her the real reason behind Renee's glances. She had probably been in shock from seeing a vampire with her daughter, a vampire who was fundamentally different from the ones which she'd encountered.

"Speaking of your mother," He begins, "You should let her know that we have arrived safely."

"Oh, right!" She reaches for Edward's cell phone, dialing the number from memory.

He watches her speak to her mother, easily tuning out her words. The world is never quite as silent as when he is with her. He is able to concentrate more fully, he doesn't have to sort through thoughts of others to get to his own. And now he is concentrated completely on the devastatingly beautiful woman before him. He doesn't understand anymore now than he did in the beginning—Why can't he leave her alone? At this point, someone would have to tear him limb from limb to keep him from her. He is so attached to her that he can't even contemplate life without her.

And there is so much fear. Her human life seems so short in comparison to his own. He feels as if he'll blink and it will be over. It doesn't help that she holds an otherworldly pull for all things dangerous, himself included. He has been thinking about it for a while, and he had decided that Christmas was the perfect time to tell her of his decision.

He waits until she hangs up the phone before beginning, "Bella, there is something I wanted to talk to you about."

She looks a little fearful as she replies, "Oh. I thought this might be coming. Listen, about this morning, I didn't mean to overreact so much. I just… hadn't really thought about it, and it caught me off guard." She sighed. "I'm a girl, and I tend to get emotional sometimes, that's all."

He pulls the car over to the side of the road, and takes her hand. "Bella, you're not a girl, you're a beautiful woman. And you had every right to be upset." He wonders how long she'll stay with him. Why would she stay with him when he couldn't even be with her in that way? When he couldn't even love her like that? "I wish I could give you that, Bella. You have no idea how much I want that for us. But I want to keep you safe even more. Life is short enough as it is."

Oddly, her face seems to fall even more, and he hears her mumble under her breath, "Only for me."

He sighs. "That's actually what I wanted to talk to you about, not about this morning. I, um, I wanted to ask you something."

She looks at him peculiarly, and he sees excitement in her eyes.

"Yes?" She asks.

"Well it actually has to do with one of your Christmas presents."

She bites her lip, but gestures for him to continue. The look in her eyes is unfathomable, brimming with both fear and exhilaration.

"I know I told you that we would spend New Year's and your last week before school in Seattle, but I want to take you away, just the two of us. Would that be okay?"

"Sure. I'd rather you not spend too much money, but if you think it's for the best, then that's what we'll do."

He frowns. "It's not about what I think is best, Bella. I just, I know that your mother travelled a lot after she left Forks, but you never went with her. I thought there might be somewhere you'd like to go. Anywhere you'd like, it's your vacation."

She smiles, but it doesn't reach her eyes. "Vacation, right. Wow… That's very sweet, Edward, but it's too much."

"As much as I'd like to take you to see the world, we don't have to do anything you're not comfortable with doing. It doesn't have to be anything extravagant. I just want a week with only you and me."

"A week? Edward, what about your work?"

"Well… that's what I meant. I've been thinking, and I think life is too short for me to waste time at work when I don't have to. As much as I like my work, it keeps me away from you. And that I don't like."

"So you're resigning?"

She sounds surprisingly disappointed.

"Bella, I have forever to be a doctor."

Her hand is limp in his. "But you don't have forever with me."

He thinks that it had sounded like a much better idea in his head than when she says it aloud, but he is unsure of how to comfort her, or even what is wrong.

He holds her hand for a moment longer, and then presses a chaste kiss to her knuckles.

"Are you ready to head home?"

"No." She whispers.

"No?"

"I don't want to go home."

"Are you trying to avoid my last Christmas present?"

"No. I just… I'm not ready to go home yet. Let's do something! Anything!" There is an edge to her tone, a desperation.

He will give her anything she asks of him.

"Like what?"

"Something exciting! I just need you to distract me!"

Edward places his hands on her shoulders, to calm her frenzied movements.

"Distract you from what?" His face is racked with confusion.

"I'm sorry… just all this Christmas stuff, and life is short talk. I just want to forget about everything but you."

Edward's expression is sorrowful. He doesn't want to make her sad. He doesn't want her to think about her life being short. He wants her life to be full—full of love and fun and experience. So he pulls her out of the car and does what _he _does when he wants to forget.

He runs.

He cradles her in his arms, and she clings to him, her arms tight around the back of his neck, and he runs. His eyes stay locked on hers because he doesn't need to watch where he's going. Everything blurs around them, and the only thing that is clear is her. Everything else in the world falls away and they only have each other.

"Thank you." She whispers into the wind.

He watches her hair dance around them, and he resists the urge to bury his free hand in it.

"For what?"

"For making time stand still."

He isn't sure what she means, but he is scared to ask, fearful of her answer.

This entire day has been full of surprises for him. Before visiting Renee, he had thought he knew Bella, or knew her as well as he could know someone whose thoughts weren't open to him. But he couldn't read her now. He felt as if so many things had gone wrong today, this morning in the closet and just now in the car. Without hearing her thoughts, it is impossible for him to know exactly what is going through her head, what he did wrong.

He slows to a stop deep into the forest. He crushes her to his chest, her feet dangling above the forest floor. Automatically, her legs wrap around his waist. His is struck by how eerily similar and entirely different their position is from their position in the closet this morning. Technically, their bodies are 

aligned in much the same way, but the intention is entirely different. The feeling between them now is electric and frantic.

She kisses him carefully, and then bites down on his bottom lip. He wants to pull back, and tell her to be careful, but he doesn't. Instead, in an uncharacteristically bold moment, he opens his mouth against hers. She freezes against him, and he opens his eyes to see that hers are wide and questioning. He tries to tell her with his eyes to stay calm, to be careful. He can't take the risk of injuring her with his teeth.

He allows his tongue to push forward into the warm cavern of her mouth. Her eyes flutter shut and she moans against him. Her arms and legs tighten around him like a vice, but he relishes in it.

He explores her mouth, tracing the ridges along the top. Her tongue swirls with his, but she is careful to let him maintain control. He had always enjoyed the warmth that she brought him, but the heat of her mouth now is incomparable. And he thinks that if it had been hard this morning to tell her no, it will be even more difficult after this.

He pulls back, but only centimeters, because he doesn't want to lose the connection he feels in this moment.

"God, I love you." He kisses her again.

"Then keep me." She pleads.

"Always."

She pulls back, but her hand holds his jaw, almost tightly.

"No, Edward. I mean it…. Keep me. Forever."

He feels like he's falling, and then he is. He's crumpling to his knees, Bella in his arms.

"Don't ask me that, Bella."

His face contorts as though under pain of torture.

"I _am_ asking you, Edward. You were right. Life is short, but it doesn't _have_ to be."

"You don't know what you're asking."

She pushes a fist against his chest. "Yes, I do. I know that you think you're a monster, but you're not. I know that it's an incredibly hard life, and that there is so much sadness and pain in it. I know that it's a long time to live with my decision. But I also know that you are worth it. I don't want to just have one short life with you. It's not enough, and it will never be enough. So, keep me. Promise, you'll keep me."

He hesitates for a long moment.

"Bella, I love you and I want to keep you. Selfishly, I want to change you and keep you with me forever, but I can't."

"Can't or won't?"

He lowers his eyes.

"Both."

When he looks up again, she is crying. This is the second time today he's made her cry.

"Bella. I hate to see you cry. I hate that I've _made_ you cry. But I would hate myself even more if I damned you to this life. And you would hate me too, eventually."

"_Damn_ me? You wouldn't be damning me! I'm choosing this! And I could never hate you!"

Frustration seethes in him, and he loathes himself for wanting to give in. He can feel himself leaning towards her, eager to give her anything she asks. But she doesn't know! He has to be the responsible one now, the reasonable one. She's blinded by her attraction to him.

He stands, her arms and legs still wrapped around him.

"This discussion is over."

She tries to push off of him, "No!"

He wraps his arms around her, holding her arms at her side.

"Stop!" She sobs.

"Leave me alone!"

He tries to keep the pain from showing on his face. "Bella. I'm not leaving you. I can't."

"Can't! Can't! Can't! I never knew there were so many things you _can't _do!"

Her blow is tiny, like a miniscule pinpoint, but he feels as if his whole body is torn by it.

He doesn't answer, because he has no words. This is all his fault. He'd been so selfish all this time, staying with her even though he knew it wasn't right. Now, look what he's done to her. He doesn't answer as he sprints back to the car. Halfway through the run, she gives up fighting and sags against his chest.

By the time he sets her in his car, she has withdrawn completely into herself, leaving a mere shell of the brazen woman from minutes ago. She is silent for the rest of the ride home, and he doesn't try to make her talk, because not even he knows what to say.

He glances at his cell phone that is lying in the cup-holder, to see nearly a dozen missed calls from Alice. But she was too late.

He opens the car door for her, and she heads to the front door alone, while he grabs the bags. He hears the door creak open, and then her gasp.

He drops the bags immediately and flies to her side. He gazes in at the living room to see it nearly demolished. Chairs are overturned and the upholstery on the furniture has long, deep gashes. Things have been smashed, papers and clothes thrown around. Bella's jaw is open and the devastation of the room is nothing compared to the devastation he sees in her eyes.

"Who could have done this?" She asks.

He wraps an arm around her and pulls her soft body against his chest.

Edward doesn't need to think about who had done this. He would know that scent anywhere.

_Werewolves. _

**A/N: Ahhhhh! I know. This may be one of my favorite chapters so far! I know it's not as happy and fluffy as you all are used to, but I love me a little bit of angst. **

**Was this chapter one of your favorites too? **

**Leave me some love, and I might just write the next chapter during my classes instead of taking notes… yay!**


	21. Chapter 21

**A/N: I apologize profusely for the wait! I know it's been terribly too long! But this might have been the busiest week of my life! But now that things have slowed down, I'm back on this! However, I didn't get a chance to read through this, so it might be full of mistakes and typos. I hope you'll forgive me, but it was either that or wait a little longer. I hope you enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight, the characters, or Stephenie Meyer's plot. Anything you don't recognize—is mine! ******

**Recap: Bella's apartment is demolished. Edward smells eau de Werewolf. **

_December Twenty-Sixth_

_Midnight_

Bella slumps against him, but the only thing he can think about is getting her away from here. The scent is old, but not more than a few hours, and he's not taking any chances. He puts an arm underneath her knees and scoops her up against his chest.

He speeds to his car, but doesn't even bother to put her in her seat. He pushes his own chair back so that there is room for both of them in his seat. He cradles her against him like a child, and wraps his arms around her like a protective cage. He begins driving towards his unused apartment, knowing that his arms will provide more protection in the event of an accident than any seatbelt could.

"Bella?" He whispers. "Bella?"

"Edward." She whispers against his neck.

"Are you okay?"

She nods against his marble skin. "Why? I don't understand."

He considers telling her the truth, but he can't. He needs to know what brought them there. He has a pretty good feeling about why they destroyed everything. He's sure his scent was all over her apartment. That alone would have been motivation enough.

"I don't know, sweetheart. We'll figure it out though. Until then, I'm taking you to my place."

"I guess I'll be moving in sooner than I thought." She sighs.

She gasps and sits up abruptly. He struggles to keep the wheel straight behind her.

"Angela!"

"Is away for Christmas with Ben. Don't worry."

She relaxes almost instantly, and her head returns to his shoulder.

"Should we have called the police?" She asks.

"We can if you like. But I'd prefer if you'd just let me handle it."

He pulls up in front of his apartment. It is a six story building, and he owns the entire top floor. Though it is basically empty. He slips out of the car gracefully, not even jostling Bella's exhausted form. He scales three flights of stairs before he remembers that he'd dropped their bags outside Bella's apartment, and forgotten to pick them back up. At that exact moment his phone beeps. He looks down to see a text message from Alice.

_I'll get the bags. Don't worry._

His fingers fly across the number pad, typing a quick reply.

_Thank you. You're in Seattle? Why?_

He receives Alice's reply before he even manages to hit send.

_For you, silly. There's a mattress on the floor in the master bedroom. Turn the heater on. It's going to be a cold, stormy night. And Bella isn't immune to it like you. _

He reaches the last landing outside his flat, silently thanka Alice before hearing a third beep.

_You're welcome._

He chucklea underneath his breath.

He feels a warm kiss against his neck.

"What's so funny, vampireboy?"

"Alice." He answers.

As he opens the door, she sits up straight.

"Did she see who did it?"

"I'm actually not sure. She was just telling me to turn the heater on. She didn't want you to get pneumonia spending the night in a freezing apartment next to a freezing body."

She smiles. "Your body isn't freezing. It's actually kinda hot."

"Cute." He replies.

"Yeah, well, I try." She laughs.

She realizes their new location, and takes a moment to look around.

Her eyes widen. "Edward, this place is HUGE!"

"It only looks big because it's so empty."

"No, Edward, I mean it. This is insane. It's like three of my apartments."

"Probably closer to four."

She glares at him, but he melts it away with a crooked grin.

He turns the heater up to as far as it will go. He'll turn it down a bit once it gets nice and toasty.

"I'm sorry that there's not more in here. But there is a mattress in one of the bedrooms. I'll see what blankets I can find."

She nods quietly and moves towards the bedroom. He checks in the all the closets and rooms, managing to scrounge up a set of sheets and two blankets. He checks the thermostat, seeing that it's a reasonable temperature and turns it down to a normal level.

"Bella!" he calls, moving to the bedroom, "Is there anything else I can get…"

He trails off. "You."

She is standing next to the bed wearing one of his button up shirts that she must have found in a drawer. It is short, revealing her long, slim legs. And his sharpened eyesight can see every curve behind the thin material.

"I hope you don't mind. Alice texted me and told me that you left the bags. She mentioned you kept a lot of clothes here."

"I-I don't mind." He is far from minding. He feels like blessing Alice or maybe cursing her, he isn't sure yet. One thing he is sure of—Bella looks absolutely exquisite wearing his shirt, and only his shirt.

He moves to her slowly, still unsure after the shaky night they've had.

"I think you're trying to kill me." He groans.

"Don't be absurd. Vampires can't die."

He fingers a lock of her hair.

"I'm not so sure of that. If I had a working heart, you would give me a heart attack wearing that."

His mind realizes too late that she still thinks that Charlie died of a heart attack. But she doesn't seem troubled by his words. Instead she moves closer and slips her arms around his waist.

"It's been a weird day." She whispers.

"Definitely." He pauses, "Can I give you your last present now?"

She snakes a hand around his neck and plays with the curls of hair there.

"I suppose if you must."

He reaches into his pocket, and pulls out something hidden in his closed fist.

"I don't want you to freak out. This doesn't have to mean anything that you don't want it to mean. Mainly, it's something from my past. Something that I want you to have. My present and my future are yours alone. My past is the only part of me that you didn't already have. Which is why I wanted you to have this."

He opens his hand to reveal a small ring in the palm of his hand. It looks old, like an antique. With a few large stones placed in the gold band.

"It was my mother's. My birth mother's. It's one of the only things I have from my human life. And I want it to be yours."

Her mouth is open and her eyes are fixed on his palm.

"Edward." She whispers, whether in shock or horror, he can't tell. "That's a wedding ring."

"I know. It was my mother's. And it doesn't have to mean that, it can just be a ring."

"Doesn't have to?" She asks. "Does that mean that it _could_ mean… that?"

He transfers the ring to her palm. "Bella. You already know that I love you more than my own life. Nothing could make me happier than making you my wife."

A tear gathered in her eye.

"I don't mean to pressure you, Bella. That was not what I intended at all. If you don't want to marry me, that's fine. That wasn't what I was aiming at, per say."

"I do want to marry you." She whispers.

The tears are streaming down her face, unending.

"You do? You'll marry me?"

"I want to, but I can't Edward."

He steps back, and she lets him slip out of her arms.

"You can't?"

She nods. Taking a deep shuddering breath, she covers her eyes with her hands.

"Ugh. I don't understand! How can you want to marry me, but refuse to change me?"

"Bella…" He says in a warning tone.

"No! No. This needs to be said. What did you expect of me? Marry you, and then grow older and older why you'll stay the same. What about when I'm so old people think you're my son? How can I be your wife, how can I kiss you, love you, when you'll be half my age?"

"If you wanted to leave me, Bella, you know I wouldn't begrudge you that."

"I wouldn't want to leave!" She yells. "Don't you get it? I never _want_ to leave! But how can I stay? When I'll always be changing and you'll always be the same? How could you possibly want me when I'm old and wrinkled?"

He pulls her against his body sharply, and forces her eyes up to his. He hates seeing the tears there.

"I will always want you, Bella Swan. Every second I'm on this earth, and even when I'm not."

"Then let me spend every second of your life with you! Just think Edward! We could get married and if I were a vampire, then I could love you like a wife is supposed to love her husband. You wouldn't have to quit your job to spend time with me during my short life span! We could spend time with your family without making things difficult for Jasper. We could be happy, Edward. Forever."

"I-I can't think… Don't ask me to do that to you, Bella. I'm weaker than you can possibly know. Please don't push me."

"Explain to me exactly why you won't."

He growled low in his throat, "I've told you, Bella. This is not a happy life. You think you want it now, but it's different when you actually get it. Rosalie has never regretted anything as much as becoming a part of this life."

"But she didn't have a choice, I do!"

"It's painful, Bella. You can't know if you'll regret it or not."

"Do you?" She asks bluntly.

"I have before. But not now, I can't regret anything that allowed me to meet you."

"Then why can't you assume it will be the same for me? I can't regret anything that allows me to be with you."

"It's different, Bella."

"How?"

He begins to pace across the room. "Human emotions are different, they fluctuate. They come and go. Vampires are different. We are set in our ways, when we change, it's permanent."

She fixes him with a cold glare. "Understand something right now, Edward Cullen. What I feel for you is permanent and unending. That. Will. Not. Change."

"I feel the same, Bella."

"Then why—"

"Can we finish this another time, Bella? Nothing is going to be decided tonight. You're exhausted, and you need sleep. We'll just call it an impasse."

"For now." She sighs.

She opens her palm to reveal the ring he'd given her.

"I don't think I can take this, Edward. At least not now."

Edward's face sets into a deep frown. "Does that mean someday?"

"I hope. I'd be glad to marry you, but only when I can say that my life is truly bound to yours, forever."

"You're giving me an ultimatum?"

"If that's what you want to call it."

He nods, but doesn't reply.

He takes her hand in silence and leads her to the mattress. He lays out the sheet first, and then covers them both with the blankets.

"I hate that we keep fighting." He whispers.

"Me too. I'm scared that one day, one day we won't stop."

He wants to tell her that they'll figure it out, that they'll fix this, but he's not sure that's a promise he can keep. He's not sure that it's fixable, not if both of them are determined to keep their way. He'd been hoping that he would get a bit more blissful time with her before they hit this point. When he told her that life was short, he didn't necessarily mean her actual physical life. He was thinking more along the lines of how long she'll allow him to stay in her life.

She'd asked him to keep her. But he was beginning to think that he needed to be the one asking _her _to keep _him. _


	22. Chapter 22

**A/N: As usual, I apologize for the incredibly long wait. But I'm sad to say that this is probably going to become the norm for a while. I'm just too busy with work and school and other writing projects to devote the time to this story that I did in the beginning. The good news is…. We're approaching the beginning of the end… so even though the wait between chapters might be longer than you all would like…. Things are about to heat up. **

**Disclaimer: Picking petals off a daisy Edward is mine. Edward is not mine. Edward is mine. Edward is not mine. Pouts**

**Also…. I just need to once again say how much I love my reviewers! This story has officially passed my Potter fanfic in the amount of reviews, and yet it only has half as many hits! That means that even though there are less people actually reading this story than my other, you all are much better about giving feedback! And for that… I am very thankful! As an author, I thrive on your reviews!**

**Just a warning… I didn't have time to re-read and edit this… so there may be quite a few typos. I apologize. **

**Chapter Twenty-Two**

_December 31__st__, 2008_

_5:46 A.M. _

It's been a strange week for him. He's seen Bella far less than he's comfortable with—too busy working his final shifts at the hospital and setting up things for their week away—the first week of a new year. He had intended for the week to be the metaphorical beginning of something new for them. He had hoped, foolishly perhaps, that they might begin this new year together with the prospect of a wedding in their future. It was a vain hope, he realizes now. Why would Bella want to waste her life on someone like him? He couldn't give her half the things she wanted… she needed.

He thinks that Bella's week has probably felt just as strange. Angela and Ben arrived back in town, and they began the process of working through the destruction in their apartment. They had gone ahead and filed a police report, though Edward knew it wouldn't do any good. But keeping up appearances was important. Most of Bella and Angela's belongings were not destroyed. In fact, almost everything was in fine shape besides the living room.

Nothing looked as though they had intentionally tried to destroy it. Edward theorizes that the Werewolves probably hadn't meant to cause any real destruction. From Bella's description, he knows that they are young werewolves, and the scent of a vampire probably set them off. Bella's living room just got in the way of their transformation is all.

But as he watches Bella sleep, he doesn't want to think about everything that has gone wrong these past few days. Because it's a new day. A new week alone with Bella.

And almost a new year.

_December 31__st__, 2008_

_2:01 P.M. _

"Stop frowning like that." Bella insists, "We're only a minute behind schedule."

Edward's frown deepens.

"Don't remind me."

She rolls her eyes and buckles her seatbelt.

"I'm sorry." He apologizes. "It's just… I can't wait to have you all to myself."

She tries to hold her glare, but the beginnings of a smile are spreading on her face.

"We're alone now, silly boy."

"We are, but not the kind of alone I want. I want you and me to be the only people around for miles. I want all the thoughts in my head to be completely silent, so I can focus my own thoughts completely on you. I want to be locked away in that cabin with you non-stop so that by the time the week ends, I will have forgotten how to breathe air that isn't saturated with your very essence."

She blushes deeply. "I wish you knew how your words affected me. I feel like I'm dating a poet."

He laughs heartily.

"Don't tell me you actually _are_ a poet!"

He grins. "For a very brief period, I tried my hand at it, but gave up. I didn't have the zeal for life then that I have now. Perhaps I'll try picking it up again."

She continues to redden, but doesn't refuse his suggestion. And he thinks maybe he'll write something for her this weekend. He's written music that portrays his love for her—why can't words be used for the same purpose?

He puts the car into drive, and he can feel his excitement building along with the speed of his Volvo. Bella had refused to let him take her anywhere extravagant, but that suited him just fine. He would rather not share his Bella, even with tourists and famous places of the world. Instead, he'd be taking her away into the wilderness, where nothing could interrupt their time together.

Alice had helped him find the perfect place—it wasn't too far away from Forks, about a thirty minute drive north, but it was excluded and beautiful and perfect. The cabin was deep in the forest, just a few miles from Bear Creek Falls (in case they felt like getting out of the house and doing some exploring).

Alice and Esme had been a huge help in getting the cabin ready. He wanted it to be extravagant, but not enough so that Bella would complain. He wanted her to feel absolutely relaxed and comfortable.

Which she appears to be neither of those at the moment.

He glances at the clock to see that he's been driving for about half an hour. Bella has her legs tucked up underneath her, and her head lolling against the window. She'd been having trouble sleeping since they returned from her mother's. He wanta to blame it all on the incident at her apartment, but somehow he knows that it is him that is making her so restless. They'd had far too many arguments as of late, and he feels as though he might be seeing the beginning of the end.

He has always known she would outgrow this thing between them. Human emotions fluctuate, and it isn't as though he has much to offer her anyway.

"Jake." Bella mumbles in her sleep.

Edward stiffens in response.

He rarely hears her say any names in her sleep besides perhaps her mother's and his own. But there have been a handful of occasions when he's heard the name of her old werewolf friend.

He wonders if she's been thinking him of late. Even he, a supernatural being as well, he could still offer Bella so much more. He could live with her, grow old with her, love her in a way that Edward wishes he could.

"Jake." Bella whimpers, "You smell."

He has to agree with her there. There's nothing quite as pungent to him as the scent of werewolf.

"I'm sorry. Don't hate me." She pleads in her sleep.

His heart clenches at the pain in her voice.

"Not stupid…" She whispers, "Made my choice. I don't regret it. I like being a vampire."

His hands tighten on the wheel and he swerves slightly.

Is this what she dreams about? Becoming a monster?

He tries to be reasonable, tries to understand her desires.

He wonders what he might feel if the situation were reversed. He knows without a shadow of a doubt that he would do anything for Bella, including accepting his fate as a vampire. But he still thinks it's different. He knows that his love for her is unfading; vampire emotions are different. He can say with complete confidence that he was like half a person before she came along. And even that half a person—he despised. But now he felt different, changed to his very core. And he was beginning to even like this new Edward—the Edward that Bella loves.

But can he be so arrogant as to say that Bella's emotions might fade? He hopes not. God, he would love nothing more than for her to love him in the way he loves her.

He is deep in thought for the rest of the drive. Trying to understand his emotions, and even more desperately so to understand hers.

"You look troubled." Her quiet voice interrupts his thoughts. For a moment, he assumes she is still asleep, until her mouth opens wide in a yawn.

He apologizes.

"Don't be sorry. Anything I can do to help?" She asks.

He pauses for a long moment.

"How do you know you love me?" He asks.

She laughs, "Fishing for compliments are we?"

He forces a smile.

She looks pensive, and she thinks about her answer for so long, that he resigns himself to not even receiving one.

"Well there's the obvious of course."

He's taken aback by her quiet words.

"What's obvious?"

"You're perfect." She whispers, "You're loving, and so kind, and brave. And strong. Not to mention to mention inhumanly beautiful."

He tries to keep his shoulders from slumping. Of course she would love him for those things. It's the way he was made—to attract his prey.

"But those were only what caught my eye in the beginning."

He gazes at her from the corner of his eye.

"Now I feel like I know more than just the supernatural aspect of you. I know your soul. Your heart may not beat anymore, but you still have more capacity to love than anyone else I've ever known."

"Wait till you get to know Esme more."

"I'm serious, Edward. Maybe it sounds stupid, but I feel whole when I'm with you. Like I've been living my entire life as only half a person, until that day in the hospital when you touched my wrist. I've never been so overwhelmed by emotion. At your mere touch, I felt this strange shock go through me, and when you pulled away, I felt different. Like a totally new person. Maybe it's just hindsight now, but I knew then that my entire life had changed… like that day was the first day of the rest of my life."

He can't help but smile in return.

"Should I go on?" She asks. "I could tell you about how your very presence overwhelms me so completely that I can barely have a coherent thought. Or that of all the times I've been hurt, some of them even life-threatening, nothing has ever hurt as bad as those moments when I'm holding you and have to let go. If I could, I would go my entire life without ever letting you go. Or on a simpler level, I could just tell you that I've never really liked myself until you loved me. I can't imagine my life without you. But I also can't imagine that you didn't already know these things."

They've reached the cabin, and he's thankful for the excuse to pull over. He doesn't want to admit that her words created such a strong passion in him, that he, even with his near perfect coordination, was having trouble driving. The feeling in his chest is like a combination of every emotion he's ever know—joy, relief, happiness, sorrow, guilt—anything and everything.

"I didn't… I didn't know." He whispers.

"Edward." Bella's warm hand touches the skin of his neck. "I love you. In every sense of the word. What brought this on?"

"Just needed a bit of reassurance, that's all."

She smiles, and he vows to never take that expression for granted ever again. He wants to feel as moved by every one of her smiles as this one or as the first time she smiled at him.

"I guess you're more human than we thought."

"Perhaps." He smiles.

He exits the car and speeds around to her side. He lifts her into his arms and out of the car. She looks around at the deep forest around them, the dirt road leading up to the cabin being the only sign of civilization.

"Alone." She whispers.

"Alone." He agrees.

"And just what were you planning to do to me, all alone and in the middle of nowhere, Mr. Cullen?"

He grins. "A little of this, little of that."

She loops her arms around his neck.

"Well let's get started then."

**A/N: I figured it was only fair not to leave you guys with a cliff-hanger since my updates are irregular. **

**And I know that not a lot actually happened in this chapter…. But if I were a pirate, I might say, "I feel a change in the winds, says I." **

**That's all I'm saying. **


	23. Chapter 23

A/N: My deepest apologies for the wait, but I did warn you all. And I still haven't reached the end. I'm in the middle of tech rehearsals for my play and will soon be opening for performances. I've barely had the time to finish all the writing I have to do for classes, let alone anything extra.

Lucky for you all, I've been having some trouble sleeping. So what shall I do to pass the time…. Write a new chapter of course!

Warning: There is a very mild sexual situation in this chapter. Nothing graphic, but you have been warned.

Disclaimer: Disclaimed! :)

Of Curses and Cures

Chapter Twenty-Three

_January 1__st__, 2009_

_12:01 A.M._

"Happy New Year, my love." He whispers into her ear. "May you find it in your heart to put up with me another year."

She shifts in her sleep, humming quietly yet still off key, and he smiles. She had tried so desperately to stay awake until midnight, but she'd been so exhausted from her poor night's sleep that she'd been out nearly half an hour ago.

She is breathing deeply, evenly against his chest – the two of them entwined on blankets and pillows Edward has set up on the floor.

There is a fire blazing beside them and he reached his hand out, hovering just above the flame. There is a faint warmth, but nothing compared to the places where his body meets hers.

She shifts against him in her sleep, unconsciously rubbing her soft body against his own. He bites back a groan.

"Why must you torture me, you little vixen." He whispers against her hair.

"Because I love you." She replies into his neck.

He is startled, "You're awake?"

"Mmhmm." She replies, and he can feel the warm vibrations against his cold skin.

"But your heartbeat… I never heard a change."

She stretches her arms around him and snuggles further into his chest. "Maybe because I'm so_ relaxed_."

He grins in amusement, "Are you now?"

Before she can answer, the tips of his fingers find her sides and he presses them just hard enough to tickle, but not hard enough to harm her.

She squeals and wriggles on top of him.

"Edward! Stop! " She laughs, "Stop! Please!"

"What's the magic word?" He asks.

"I love you!" She cries through her laughter.

"Nope. That's not it."

"What?" She huffs. "How can that not be it?" She is laughing so hard that tears are gathering in the corners of her eyes.

"I'm sorry, the correct answer was tangerine." He lightens his touch until he's just grazing her sides with his fingers.

She shivers in response.

"Tangerine. How was I supposed to guess that?"

He smiles. "You weren't."

"Ridiculous." She sulks.

"It got you closer to me." He answers, gesturing to the way her body was laid flush against his.

She lifts her face up to be even with his.

"You do realize that you don't have to trick me into this, right? I am more than a willing participant."

"I know. But it's much more fun this way."

She yawns, and he brushes the hair back from her face.

"Happy New Year, Isabella."

"Happy New Year." She smiles, "Now take me to bed, Mr. Cullen."

He hopes she can't hear the breath catch in his throat. How can she not know what she does to him? Her mere voice makes the flames of lust lick at the inside of his chest.

So tempted. He's never been more tempted in his entire existence. Not even by her blood.

In silence, He wraps an arm around her middle and loops another under her legs. He lifts her effortlessly from the ground, then makes sure the grate is placed safely in front of the fire.

He carries her into the bedroom, the bed large and soft with blankets of a deep blue. It looks exquisite against her skin. She's already wearing comfortable pajamas and he shucks his shirt and pants, leaving him in just an undershirt and boxers.

She blushes, then tries to hide it. Unwilling to embarrass her, he doesn't comment. Once he settles onto the bed, she wraps herself around him, undeterred by his cold skin. Her leg slithers around his waist like a vine, and he instinctively places a hand on her bare thigh. His fingers dance across her skin, his hand much more daring than the rest of him.

Her hips tighten in response, and she pushes against him.

"Bella." He breathes.

She doesn't answer, but raises her eyes to his—dilated and darkened with desire.

"I want to touch you." He whispers against her temple.

She breathes out with something like anticipation and relief. She presses against him harder to give her permission.

His hand glides higher up her leg, and her breath grows loud and uneven in his ears. His hands detect every nuance in her skin—like silk even to his hands. He slips beneath the hem of her cotton shorts and curves his hand around the swell of her bottom. His fingers stretch out over the lace of her underwear, and he exhales loudly. She pushes out against his palm, and he tightens his grip.

She moans, and then opens her eyes wide. She rolls onto her back slowly, pulling him on top of her. He tries not to put any weight on her, but she doesn't like that. She wraps her arms around his waist and pulls until she can feel his weight. Even then, he won't let her take it all. He draws his hand away from her shorts and she whimpers in protest.

He drags his fingers up to her waist, his pace painstakingly slow. Goosebumps rise up on her exposed skin, and her eyes are shut tight, her lip clamped tightly between her teeth.

Beautiful. His beautiful Bella. Incomparable.

His fingers continue their journey up her body, barely glancing her skin here and there, just enough to keep her on edge.

He nears the swell of her chest and stops his finger at the bottom of the underside. She lets out a low keening sound, her chest automatically arching towards him. He takes a deep breath, gathering his senses, and brushes his finger slowly, meticulously up the slope of her breast. He is so very thorough in his movements, as though it is some sort of test or he's doing an experiment and must gather as much research as possible.

Finally, with so much anticipation that his body feels as if it's tingling, the pad of his finger runs across the distended tip, only her thin night shirt separating their skin. She gasps in response and clutches at his arms, her fingers digging into his skin.

He can smell her arousal, and feel the heat against his leg which is situated between her thighs.

He takes a deep breath and rolls off of her, closing his eyes tight to calm the electricity coursing through his veins.

She appears to be too shocked to do anything other than breathe, to protest his touch or the loss of it.

Her eyes are shut tight, and her fists clenched tightly at her sides, in pleasure, he hopes.

After a few moments, she begins to relax. She opens her eyes to reveal them brimming with tears.

"Happy New Year, Edward."

**A/N: Short. I know. But it was this or nothing. And I like to think that the content of this chapter makes up for the shortness. Hopefully, I didn't cross the line between T and R… please feel free to tell me if you think I have and I'll take steps to remedy that. **

**On that note, I have reached a point where I need to make a definitive decision about the rating of this story. As I have said, I am comfortable with this remaining a T or being bumped up to M. What do you guys want? I will be making my decision according to your reviews, so if you have an opinion, the way to make sure it is heard is by clicking on the review button at the bottom! Either way, the advancement of their relationship will remain tasteful. If I do bump this up to M, it will not become about smut… it will remain focused on their relationship which is obviously progressing to a more intimate level. **

**So it's up to you… **

**Should this story continue to be rated T or change to M?**

**Review!**


	24. Chapter 24

**A/N: Wow! Ninety Reviews for last chapter! And it was such a short chapter! I'm so overwhelmed! You guys are wonderful! I'm sorry for the wait. But I'm afraid things aren't going to get much better. I'm 90% focused on writing my original novel right now, and that's not going to change. But I do hope you'll all forgive me, and stick around for the updates when they come!**

**Now… as some of you have probably noticed, this fic has now officially been bumped up to an M-rating. By and large, the majority voted for M, and I thought it necessary myself. There were a handful of people who adamantly requested that the fic remain rated T—and to those people, I truly apologize. I wrestled over the right way to handle this—to separate the M sections into a separate story, or have them be individual chapters that can be skipped—but none of those worked for me. Because I'm not going to be writing smut scenes just for the heck of it. This fic is primarily focused on the development of their relationship, and the physical side of their love is not only unavoidable, but it's vital to the plot. **

**I can promise that the scenes will be handled very tastefully—focused more on the passion of their love than the mechanics of sex. Put more simply, the scenes will not be explicit, but I'm not going to gloss over them either. **

**To those of you who will decide not to continue reading this story—my deepest apologies. I will miss your feedback, and I'm sorry I couldn't find a better option. **

**Now that I'm done with that novel of an explanation—Don't own Twilight! On to the chapter!**

**Chapter Twenty-Four**

_January 1__st__, 2009_

_8:00 A.M. _

He closes his eyes and listens to the slow sizzle of the bacon. He holds his hand a few inches over the burner, feeling the warmth. He used to do this a lot. He was never sure whether it had been a fascination with the warmth or with fire—with that which he couldn't have or with that which could destroy him. It's so different than the warmth that Bella brings him. He feels the heat of the flame merely on the surface, but Bella's warmth infiltrates his very being, fills him to the core.

"Edward!" Her voice is panicked, and he can hear the pounding of her heart like she's right beside him. He nearly knocks over the bacon in his rush to get to her.

"I'm here. Bella, I'm here." His voice is low and soothing, as slides into bed beside her.

Her breath is unsteady, and she hiccups into his chest.

"You weren't here. I thought it wasn't real."

He tilts her chin up towards him, and kisses the tip of her nose.

"Thought what wasn't real?" He asks.

She blushes, but doesn't break their gaze.

"Last night."

He remembers the way his hands had ghosted over the beautiful curves of her body the night before, and he feels her heat seeping farther into him.

"No, love, I'm here. We're here. And it's all real."

"Thank you." She pulls herself tighter against him. "Thank you."

"I didn't realize how much it meant to you."

She places a warm kiss against his sternum.

"Last night was one of the most wonderful nights of my life, Edward."

He rolls over onto his back, and she lays her head against his chest.

"But I barely… we barely… that was nothing compared to what you could… what someone else could give you."

"Don't talk like that." She chides, "One touch from you is worth a thousand from any other person in this world."

"Even Jake?" The words fly out of his mouth before he can restrain them. He flinches at the callous tone.

"What did you say?" She sits up abruptly.

"Nothing. I'm sorry."

"No. Why did you bring up Jake?"

He lays his forearm over his face, covering his eyes. Resigned, he sighs and tells her, "You talk about him sometimes… in your sleep."

He remembers the dream she'd had in the car. Where she had apparently been defending her decision to become a vampire to a smelly werewolf.

"D-Do I?" She stuttered. He could see her eyes moving rapidly back and forth, searching her memory for any glimpses of dreams and what they might have contained.

He hates the nervousness he sees branded in her gaze. It makes him nervous. Like maybe his hold on her isn't as strong as he thought.

He sees her blush, and his thoughts automatically jump to the worst.

"I screamed, didn't I?"

He blinks rapidly, confused by her question. What on earth would have her screaming during a dream about a werewolf? His heart ached at the thoughts running through his mind.

"It's silly really." She begins, and as usual impatience swarms around him and he eagerly swallows up each word as it falls from her mouth, never quick enough.

"I know Jake would never hurt me. I'm not sure what has me so spooked."

That catches his attention.

"Hurt you? The werewolf?" He can keep the sheer outrage from creeping into his tone.

"No! No. He would never. It's just… I keep having this dream where I'm… and he… We…"

You, him, what? He urges silently. His fists are clenched so tight, he thinks he might ground his fingernails to dust.

"I would of course like to think that if that did happen… he'd be more accepting… but it's hard to tell."

His need to know pulls free from his restraint like a wild dog breaking his chains.

"I have no clue what you're talking about."

She bites her lip, watching him worriedly, and starts to stutter out a response.

"I-It's nothing. J-Just a dream…"

"Isabella…" He pushes.

"Don't 'Isabella' me… I don't want to fight, and if I tell you, we will…"

Damn. This relationship would be so much easier if her mind were open to him.

He leans close, knowing that he's cheating, but releases the full potency of his golden gaze upon her. She sighs and leans closer.

"I love you." He whispers.

"I love you too."

"People in love are honest with each other." He prods.

She blinks and breaks out of her trance.

"Y-Yes. But there's honesty and there's stupidity."

He buries a hand in her hair, his pinky finger grazing the slightly sweaty skin of her neck. She shudders at the feeling.

"I don't think you're stupid, Bella."

She laughs and her breath is like a fragrant breeze upon his face.

"You say that now. But you haven't heard about the dream yet."

"My opinion of you could never be changed. I find you absolutely perfect. Tell me your dream, let me prove it to you."

The apprehension never leaves her expression, but she folds into his demands regardless. She does, however, move out of his embrace to sit on the opposite side of the bed, her feet dangling over, and her back facing him.

"In the dream… Jake and the rest of the pack attack you and me. It's why I scream."

"And why do they attack us?"

"Because… Because I'm like you… a vampire." She spits out the last word with such fear and dread, and he can see her shoulders tense. Her spine seems to tighten, her fist tangles in the sheets, and he knows she's preparing for another fight. She expects him to blow-up like he has in the past, but he oddly doesn't feel any of the normal frustration. For he, too, has been plagued with visions of his Bella with eyes as gold as Van Gogh's sunflowers, and skin like the marbled columns in Rome. In fact, he sees it nearly every time he closes his eyes. He sees alabaster body entwined with alabaster body, pink lips parted in passion, and both the simplicity and complexity of forever with his lover in his arms.

Her muscles constrict more with every moment of his silence. Rather than using words, he answers by sliding up behind her. He slips a leg on each side of her, the inside of his thighs pressing against the outside of hers. He advances until he can feel the curve of her back pressed against the muscles of his chest.

Her body restricts even further for the barest of moments, and then she relaxes so completely that it's as if all the bones have disappeared from her body, and she seems to wrap around him, weightless, like the enchanting effects of a drug.

His tongue darts out, tasting the shell of her ear. She shivers in response, and he can feel the vibrations ripple through him as well.

She pushes back against him, the curve of her bottom pressed intimately against him, and he growls low in her ear.

"Are you angry?" she asks, her words flitting by him like feathers in the wind.

He places a hand against the hot skin of her stomach, feeling the notch of her bellybutton beneath his palm.

"Do I seem angry to you?" He murmurs.

Her reply comes out low and long, like a moan. "No."

"That's because I'm not."

"You're not upset that I dream about you biting me? That sometimes it's all I can think about?" There's an edge to her voice, and he wonders if she's trying to pick a fight. But he can't summon the anger, because he can't fault her for wanting the same things he wants—irrational though they may be.

"I certainly don't like it. But I cannot blame you for envisioning the very thing that I see painted against the black every time I shut my eyes."

He's jealous of her dreams—where she can enjoy the idea of their infinite future without the crippling guilt he feels during the light of day. It's been so long since he's dreamed—he wants to close his eyes and be lost to his fantasies. Because maybe then he wouldn't be so tempted to make his fantasy a reality.

"You too? Is it all you can think about too?"

Her voice isn't filled with hope, she's doesn't dare to think he's changed his mind. Instead it's relieved—that she doesn't have to deal with this longing alone. He wonders if he's finally drowned out her hope completely. He realizes, with a sharp, jarring pain in his chest, that somehow their tables have turned. A deep ache blooms in his chest like a rare flower. And He realizes with a surge of self-hatred, that it is he who has begun to hope.

He shakes his head, concentrating instead of the feeling of her against him, so tight they could be sewn together. He lets himself get lost in it.

"Well…" He trails a hand up to her rib cage, feeling goose bumps rise up in response. "It's not the only thing I think about."

And then she's kissing him with abandon, and he opens his mouth to her, tasting her, devouring her in the only way in which he'll allow himself.

_What was it they said about the forbidden?_

Her tongue slides against his own, warmth against cool, and he prays he'll never forget her taste.

_So much sweeter. _

**A/N: I know that it's not very long. And I apologize again. But I'm afraid it was this or nothing…**

**I do hope you all still enjoy it. My very small, but heartfelt Christmas present to you all. **

**Happy Holidays! **

**Now if you're still on for the ride, leave me your own little Christmas present in the form of a review!**


	25. Chapter 25

**A/N: Hello lovies! Thank you all for your marvelous reviews for the last chapter—We're so close to a thousand! And thanks for sticking with me through the long waits! I'm afraid that won't change for a while! I'm lucky I've even had the chance to write this chapter, as life is busier than ever at the moment! If anyone has LJ, you're welcome to add me (JKRsunkmyship) and see posts about my writing (both fanfic and original) and life in general. **

**This chapter is dedicated to the lovely people who have recommended this story at Twilighted. I'm afraid I don't know your names, but I've had quite a few people tell me that they heard about the story there, and I have you to thank, whoever you are! So thank you!**

**Also, this chapter is for xxemmygrrlxx (who inspired another name with her idea) for your name suggestions way back at Chapter seventeen and to everyone else who reviewed with names. **

**Now on to the chapter!**

**Chapter Twenty-Five**

_January 1__st__, 2009_

_8:30 A.M. _

It takes him longer than it should have to smell the bacon burning in the kitchen, but he is so wrapped up in the scent of her, the way she touches him, the sounds she makes—that he loses track of all else in the world. Which is definitely saying something for him. Being this deep in the wilderness—it's so very close to silence. He can still hear a faint underlying rumble of peoples' thoughts far away, but they are easy to tune out.

He throws out the bacon while Bella pours herself some cereal.

"I'm sorry. I wanted to do something special for you." He apologizes.

She grins and cocks an eyebrow playfully. "Oh believe me. You were doing something special for me. Feel free to let the bacon burn anytime."

She manages to say it without a blush, and that only makes her more wonderful to him. But then, of course, she sees the hunger in his gaze, and the blush comes running.

"We're never going to get out of this cottage if you keep looking at me like that." She whispers.

Laughing, he tells her she's right, and shoos her along to the bedroom to change. He opts to stay in the living room, because even with walls between him and her naked skin—it's too great a temptation.

He wants to lose himself with her in the great outdoors. He wants the only thing he can smell for miles to be her and the distinct aroma of nature. And it doesn't hurt that the places he's planning on taking her are a difficult journey for a human, which means he has an excuse to carry her the whole way in his arms.

And he must be becoming to accustomed to her, because she's halfway in his arms before he realizes her presence. She curls into his chest, her arms and legs folded around him, and he considers dumping his plans and locking to the two of them away in the bedroom. But then he sees the excited look on her face, and pushes back his selfish desires.

"So what's on the schedule?" She asks.

"A bit of exploring." He answers, simultaneously taking the time to explore the skin of her neck with his lips.

"Mmm… perhaps into _uncharted_ territories?" She asks breathlessly.

He laughs huskily, his breath dancing across her milky skin.

"We'll see."

He stands, not bothering to let her feet touch the ground. Her chest is pressed against him, her legs wrapped snuggly around his waist. Her hips are fitted just above his own, and he wonders if he'll be able to run with her body so temptingly close to his.

He's found an entirely new meaning to the phrase, "When it rains, it pours." He thought he could get by with pushing his boundaries just a little further, but the trickle of desire it produced has evolved to a full-out downpour.

Take an inch, and you won't be able to resist the temptation of taking a mile.

He runs slower than normal, worried that the heady sensation her presence creates might make his reaction time slower if something were to happen. But he doesn't complain. It's just that much more time he can hold her in his arms. He cradles her gently as he climbs over a ridge, and then carefully makes his way down the other side.

They are in a small oasis, surrounded by rock that hides it away from the less adventurous explorers. The water of the pond is nearly crystal clear, disrupted only by the sloshing of the beautiful waterfall on the far side. Moss covered rock juts out from the cliff, and the water trickles over making the green sparkle in the sunlight. There is a small little haven behind the wall of water, like a private getaway, and he can imagine the two of them locked away forever in the watery wonderland.

"It's gorgeous!" Bella cries.

She scrambles down out of his arms to get a better look. He tenses as she gets close to the water, ready to catch her if she should stumble. But her footing is sure, and her expression is confident as she turns around to gaze at him.

She hesitates for a moment, and he wonders what she's thinking about, then her hand grasps the bottom of her shirt and lifts it over her head.

"Bella! What are you doing?" He asks.

She only grins, "Exploring."

She shucks her pants next, leaving her in a simple white bra and sensible gray underwear. He can't stop his eyes from roving over her form. Her lean waist, the flare of her hips, the creamy ivory swell of her breasts peeking out from her undergarments.

He feels a distinct tightening sensation in his groin, and forces himself to remain rational. She dips a toe into the water, and shivers in response. He then realizes her true intentions.

"Bella, you can't. The water's probably freezing. "

She shrugs. "Maybe. But I want to see the waterfall up close."

He charges towards her, "Absolutely not. You'll catch pneumonia."

"Then I guess you'll just have to warm me up."

She steps back in the water before he can stop her, and it reaches the middle of her calves.

"Wait! Just… wait."

He pulls her back out of the water, eyeing the droplets glistening on the skin of her ankles.

He looks at her for a moment, gauging her determination.

Finally, with a growl of "This is ridiculous." He relents.

"I'm not letting you get in that water. But I suppose I can get you closer to the waterfall."

He begins unbuttoning his own shirt, and her eyes widen. He removes his pants swiftly, before he can change his mind. He remembers too late the effect seeing her scantily clad body has had on him. And she flushes deeply at seeing the way his boxers are stretched over his desire for her. He doesn't comment, because he doesn't want to embarrass her.

She sidles up to him, but doesn't touch him.

"I love you." She says.

He smiles. "And I you."

He sees her hand twitch, and then start to move forward. He guesses what she's about to do moments before he decides that his control would snap completely if she touches him there. So before she gets a chance, he speeds behind her, placing his cold hands on the bare skin of her waist, and hauling her upwards.

She squeals in response, and he lifts her higher, until she is seated on his shoulders, her legs dangling on either side of his head. She gasps, and he thinks he can feel the extra heat of her blood rushing to the top of her skin.

"W-what are you doing?" She asks shakily.

He wonders if he's made her uncomfortable. He's seen other boys and girls do this in bathing suits, playing a game called chicken. Surely this wasn't different?

But of course it was different. Because this is them. This is Edward and Bella, and nothing is quite the same for them.

"Getting you closer to the waterfall."

He ignores the impropriety of his actions, and begins his trek into the water. Its cold doesn't affect him, and he made a vow to himself long ago to give Bella anything she wanted… within reason of course. He doesn't allow himself to think about the warmth of her thighs around his neck, and the way he could so easily turn and place a kiss on her inner thigh. He would not take advantage of this position. He would be a gentlemen, they were merely having fun. He wouldn't taint that with his lack of self control.

The water only reached to the middle of his waist by the time they reached the waterfall. Small droplets misted the skin of Bella's legs, and he hoped it wasn't making her cold.

"Are you okay?" He asks.

"F-Fine." She whispers, sticking a hand out into the falling water, watching if flow around her fingertips.

"Are you cold?"

She laughs under her breath. "Hardly."

He wishes he could see her face. He feels like he's missing something.

He hears a rustle far away in the woods, and catches a scent on the wind.

_Vampire. _

He jolts and Bella wavers on his shoulders.

"Edward?"

Damn it. There isn't time to run. The water can hide their scent, but he knows it is freezing, and he doesn't want Bella in it. He deliberates for a moment, but knows that pneumonia is better than the possible alternative that another vampire will bring.

Another scent accosts him.

_There are two._

That decides it. He pulls Bella swiftly from his shoulders, and gives her no warning before he lowers her into the water.

She gasps at the cold, but he doesn't have time to apologize.

He needs to get their clothes.

"Bella. Go behind the waterfall, and go underneath the water. Hold your breath as long as you can." His tone is rough and demanding, and she doesn't question him as she moves backwards, her eyes wide with fear.

He propels himself through the water, and is on the other side in two seconds. He grabs their clothes and dives back into the water. He can see Bella on the other side of the oasis, and pushes himself towards her. Her eyes are wide with fear, and he haa just wrapped his arms around her, when the vampires arrive.

The water is fairly clear, but he is counting on the froth at the base of the waterfall to hide them.

The travelling pair stops, as he had expected them to do. His and Bella's scents will be fairly fresh. He knows from their thoughts that these two aren't like him his family. He feels the lust run through them at the scent at Bella's blood.

The male suggests they keep going. They pick up Edward's vampire scent as well, and the male assumes that Edward has already snatched up the "little human."

_Wait._ The female thinks. _I know that scent. _

He struggles to recognize her thoughts. Perhaps she had run across his family before and recognized his scent?

He looks to Bella. Her face is pale, and he can see her shivering. He presses his lips to her, pushing fresh air into her lungs.

"Victoria!" The man shouts. "We must leave now."

Edward feels her hesitate. There's a want, a need, pulsing deep in her, but he can't decipher what it is that she wants.

The male, named Lucian, considers leaving her. There's an urgency to his thoughts, but Edward can't discern why.

Finally, the woman turns, and the two of them flee as quickly as they came.

Edward waits a moment more, before pulling Bella upwards and breaking the surface.

"I'm so sorry, Bella. I didn't hear them until it was too late to run."

She clings to him tightly, even though his body is probably colder than the water. He holds her up above the water as she speeds back to the other side.

He leaves their clothes sunken at the bottom of the pond, and starts back to the cottage, pushing his legs to go as fast they can. Her heart races, and she's shaking violently.

This is all his fault. He was careless. This is the second time he's held her in his arms, wet and freezing. He remembers watching her fall from the ferry and pulling her from the icy water. At least this time she's breathing. He can feel it puffing raggedly against his neck. He needs to get her back to the cottage. He'll turn up the heat, he'll draw a hot bath for her, just like he did that first time.

If only he can get there.

He can see the cottage in the distance, and his thoughts are so singular, so focused on their destination that he doesn't notice that someone has caught a hint of their scent, and is rushing just as furiously as he.


	26. Chapter 26

**A/N: My usual apologies to you all! The good news is…. I'm done with the play I was working on… which will mean much more free time! And this was the first thing on my list… **

**So…as usual… don't own Twilight!**

**Just a reminder: This fic is now rated M! Both for sexual situations and controversial conversations. If that's not you're thing…. You might want to turn around now. **

**Chapter Twenty-Six**

"W-What's going on?" Bella says, shivering against his chest.

"Nothing." Edward replies. "Just some unexpected visitors."

He rubs his free hand up and down her arms, and pushes his legs to complete the last few steps. He swings the door open so hard that the hinges groan and split from the wall. But they're inside now, and that's all that matters. He turns up the dial on the heater as far as it will go, then rushes into the bathroom.

"I'm fine." She shudders, "Put me down, Edward. I'm fine."

He ignores her, still holding her tightly in his arms, as he reaches down to turn on the faucet. He sets her gently on her feet, focusing for the first time on her pale arms and legs, and the smooth expanse of her stomach. Her simple white bra is soaked, sticking to her skin. Her nipples are pebbled from the cold, and he has to shake the lustful thoughts from his mind.

"Bath." He gasps. "Take off your clothes."

She blushes and laughs uneasily, "I thought we were taking things slowly." He would have laughed if she hadn't been shivering so violently.

He doesn't answer her, merely reaches around her to unclasp her bra, leaving it hanging loosely for her to remove herself. Next, he drops to his knees in front of her. He drags her underwear down her legs, careful to keep his eyes locked on the fabric the entire way down. They pool on the floor, and he curls his fingers around her knee to lift her leg up. He repeats the gesture with her other leg, until she's left completely bare before him.

Her legs are shaking, and he can feel her hands on his shoulders, her nails digging little crescent half-moons into his skin.

"Edward." She exhales.

He leans forward, and skims his lips against the skin of her left knee, and then places her leg back onto the floor. He lingers for a single moment, before standing, and lifting her like a child into his arms.

He is careful to keep his eyes averted, so all he sees is quick flashes of skin. He refuses to let himself take in her full beauty, not like this.

He checks the water with his bare foot, and it seems a moderate temperature to him.

"Check the water." He tells her, leaning down so she can dip her fingers into the water.

"Edward, really, I'm fine. You go relax. You're all keyed up. I'll take a quick bath, and then be out for bed."

But for some reason he can't let her out of his sight. The presence of the vampires unnerved him. There was something about the female's mind—a thirst for blood above and beyond the normal vampire's thirst. She was dangerous, more dangerous than he could even begin to comprehend.

"I'm staying." He says.

Bella's eyes widen, then she smiles.

"Well, if you're staying… you might as well join me." She dips her fingers in the water, and smiles, "Perfect."

"I would only make the water cold." He answers.

"So just sit with me."

He frowns, but accepts.

She wiggles out of his arms, and the slide of her warm skin against his own makes his eyes close in pleasure. When he opens them, she's smiling impishly at him, her hands folded over her bare chest, as she tiptoes into the water.

She sinks slowly into the tub, her wet hair clinging to the smooth skin of her soldiers, giving her the appearance of a mermaid. A water nymph sent to tempt him into oblivion.

"Are you going to explain what just happened?" She asks.

"Oh, that." He stutters, "I know it was rather forward, but I was worried. I nearly lost you like this once, I wasn't about to take that chance again."

She smiles and reaches her hand out to him, droplets of water glistening on her dainty fingers. He accepts it, his cold fingers easily enveloping hers.

"I meant back in the woods."

"Oh." He pulls his hand away, his anger suddenly too close to the surface.

He takes a deep breath, preparing for the explanation.

"I caught a scent… of other vampires. That's why I had you go under the water, to hide your scent as much as possible. They still noticed it, but they were on the run from something, and didn't stick around to investigate. We got lucky. There were two of them, I would have had difficulty fighting them both at once."

Bella pales and cries, "Fight them? You are absolutely not allowed to fight, ever!"

Edward smirks. "Is that so? Doling out orders are we?"

"Yes! I am!" She demands. "If you're ever in a situation like that again, you are to be a coward!"

"What?" He chuckles.

"I mean it. I want you to run. Don't stick around to fight and play the hero. Do you hear me?"

There's a softness in his eyes when he looks at her. "Yes ma'am." He humors her.

She huffs loudly. "Good."

She folds her arms over her chest, and the water sloshes around her. Her eyes are fixed on the surface of the water, but she begins to blush, and he wonders what she's thinking.

"As long as you're following orders…" She begins.

"Yes?"

She smiles innocently, "Get over here and kiss me."

He laughs, but obliges her all the same.

He leans down to place a tender kiss on her lips, but her hands wind in his hair, and pull his lips forcefully against her own.

Surprised, he has to place a hand in the tub to brace himself, but in doing so his forearm grazes the side of her breast, hidden beneath the water.

She breaks from the kiss and moans loudly at the sensation.

He's touched her there before, but there had been barriers—thin pieces of clothing, but barriers all the same. And now… this is different. This is electric, addicting.

It's gravity. He can't fight it… can't pull away.

Instead, he's drawn closer. Now it's not his forearm touching her, it's the palm of his hand. And it's not a graze; it's a smooth glide along her slick skin. Her eyes slide closed as his hand spreads across the mound of her breast. He cups it gently, feeling the weight of it in his hands, rolling the peak between his thumb and forefinger.

"More." She whispers.

She grips his shoulder with her hand and tugs him forward, trying to coerce him into the tub with her. The thought of his bare chest against hers gives him shivers, and he's nearly painfully hard now. He thanks whatever deity there is that he's at least still got his boxers on. That leaves him feeling at least some semblance of control.

"Bella, I can't… the water will become too cold."

"Then we'll get out of the water." She replies.

"No. You need the warmth."

"I feel plenty warm." She insists.

She gives another forceful tug, and he allows himself to be pulled slightly, his torso hovering over her.

Then he gets an idea. He removes his hand from the water, and she groans at the loss. But then he pulls himself up and over the edge of the tub, balancing with his feet and hands braced against the porcelain edges.

She smiles, impressed by his show of strength, but he quickly wipes the smile away with a kiss. They're as close as they can possibly be without him being in the water with her.

"Look how clever! I love you." She whispers against his lips.

He dips his tongue into her mouth, savoring her sweet taste.

"And I you."

He manages to balance himself just using his feet and one hand, leaving the other free to explore the smooth expanses of her bare skin. She uses her hand to guide him back to her breast, encouraging him to squeeze harder.

He groans low in the back of his throat, and is considering throwing away his control all together and moving them to the bed, or else joining her in the bath when a whispered question breaks his thoughts completely.

"Change me?"

His thoughts rage blindly for a moment, and he struggles to reel them back in.

"What?" He grits out.

"Change me. You want to know what you can get me for every Christmas, every birthday, every holiday combined? A gift that I will never complain or insist you take back? This is it. Make me like you. Give me forever with you. That's all I want. All I'll ever want."

"Bella, we can't. _I_ can't."

But again, the image is there, the two of them like porcelain-skinned gods wrapped in a passionate embrace with no boundaries whatsoever.

"No, you mean you won't! I'm tired of giving you a choice. I'm done being understanding. If you won't change me by choice, I'll force you."

He looks at her in surprise. "You'll force me? There's absolutely nothing you could do…" His words are more sure than his heart feels. He's fairly certain that at this point, it wouldn't take much to convince him.

"I'll hurt myself."

"WHAT?"

"Bad enough that you'll have to change me to save me."

"That's absolutely ridiculous!" he growls.

"No, it's not. If it will keep you from feeling guilt over making the choice, I'll take your choice away."

"NO!" He roars

"Can't you see how much I want this? How much I need this? I spend every moment wondering how much time I have left with you… how long this frail body will hold out. And I hate it. I don't want to worry about when this is going to end! I want to know that I have forever with you, because nothing less would ever be enough for me. Don't you understand?"

"I do!" He grounds out. "I understand more than you possibly know because I want it just as much as you. And I'm trying, Bella. I'm so close to being at a point where I can consider it. But don't take away my choice, Bella. Please, I'm begging you. Don't do it this way. I promise you'll be like me someday. Is that enough? I promise that we'll be together forever… just don't make me do it today. Don't make me choose today."

She looks at him with wide eyes, her face slackened by surprise.

"Okay." She answers.

He pauses for a long moment, allowing his emotions to settle back into his chest. He realizes the gravity of what he's just promised, but is surprisingly feeling a great deal of relief.

"Okay." He whispers back.

He places a lingering kiss on the apple of her cheek, and is about to suggest that they retire for the evening.

But then he hears a loud growl, and the front door to the cottage banging open. He's overwhelmed suddenly by a myriad of voices that he should have noticed sooner had he not been so distracted.

He rips himself away from the tub, and slams the bathroom door closed moments before a great hulking weight crashes into it from the other side.

"Edward?" Bella calls curiously, opening her eyes, surprised at his sudden disappearance.

But then she sees him holding the door closed, the knob rattling furiously, fear written clearly across his face, and her voice breaks,

"E-Edward?"


	27. Author's Note and Excerpt

A/N: Okay. Prepare yourself for a deluge of excuses.

Reasons why I have not updated: graduated college (yay!), had to get two jobs (total of 60 hrs a week) to save money (boo!), am moving half-way across the country in less than a month (yay!), writers block (boo!)… and the biggest reason…

I'm almost finished with my book. Like… less than three chapters, can see the light at the end of the tunnel finished. And that was my goal for the summer before I moved and started my new job (which will also run around 60 hours a week). It's been a long and difficult process filled with rewrites, rearranging, and completely throwing some things out… but I'm SO CLOSE. Because of that I've also been doing research on agents, getting ready to send queries to those that I think might be a good fit for me/my book.

I'm sorry that all this has taken me away from this fic, but I did warn you all in the beginning that this was a side/side/SIDE project, and would unfortunately be the first thing pushed to the wayside.

When will I be updating again?

I don't know. Right now, I'm only eating, sleeping, and breathing my own characters—there's no room for these in there (yes, even Edward).

Will I be updating again?

Probably. I wish I could give you a definite answer on this, but here's what I can give you. If my book doesn't get picked up by an agent (which is always a possibility), then yes, I will probably need an escape to a world outside of my book. Even if it does get picked up, but looks like it might be a long process to publication, then yes, that too will mean an update. BUT… if *crosses fingers* things go miraculously well, and I can spend my time writing my own character's story, and get paid for it? In that case, my fanfiction writing will almost definitely cease, and I might even remove the stories I already have archived (So… if there's something you haven't read of mine that you'd like to… you should do it soon).

Again, I apologize for this news and for the wait. But I am incredibly happy with how things are going, and I hope that you all will find it in your hearts to forgive this.

If you want to keep up with me, my life, and my forays into writing—you can friend me on livejournal. Username: JKRsunkmyship

Now for those of you who have actually stuck around the read this whole thing—thank you. And here is a very small gift for your time—all that I have managed to get written of the next chapter in these many months. I wish it were more.

**Of Curses and Cures**

_Chapter Twenty- Seven-A_

_January 1__st__, 2009_

_Evening_

The door rocks and rattles from the assault it's taking on the other side. Edward's jaw is clenched, his eyes closed in concentration. Sweat draws tracks of moisture down the length of his face.

"Get out of the tub." He grounds out, his body jolting from the continuous, loud pounding and growling coming from the other side of the door. There are loud, screeching sounds followed by the splintering of wood as nails claw at the barred door.

Bella jumps into action.

Edward hears her jump from the tub. He can hear every drop of water that hits the floor. The lines of moisture that glide along her skin sing like the chords of a violin. She doesn't even bother to dry off before she grabs some dirty clothes from the hamper and pulls them on. She grabs him a shirt that he quickly pulls over his head.

She looks at him, the look in her eyes screaming with utter terror. She opens her mouth to speak, but he quickly silences it with his hand. He presses his palm firmly against the curve of her lips.

He's never been more terrified than he is in this moment.

And he's never loved her more. With all the desperation of a man about to die, he pulls her against his chest—no care for how fragile she is or how strong he is. There is only the soft curve of her against his chest, her warm lips that fall open under his assault, and the frenzied moan released from her lips. He kisses her like he may never kiss her again. And then he does it again. And again. Until he's certain she absolutely has to breathe, now.

He releases her, his eyes dark with longing and fear, and tells her.

"Climb out the window. I'll hold them off."


End file.
